Phylogica Ltd. and Bio-Link Partners Ltd. Collaborate to Commercialise Anti-Inflammatory Phylomers
The family of anti-inflammatory Phylomer peptides, including lead candidates PYC35, PYC36, PYC38 and PYC98, target the AP-1 pathway, which is a crucial mediator of inflammation in various diseases. The AP-1 pathway plays a critical role in neuronal cell death caused by stroke and traumatic brain injury, and lung inflammation resulting from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and septic shock. The family of Phylomer peptides have demonstrated efficacy in multiple preclinical models for stroke, traumatic brain injury and ARDS.
Phylogica has developed a strong patent estate around this family of peptides. In addition to granted patents in Australia, the USA and Europe covering composition of matter of several of these peptides (PCT/AU00/00414), a patent for their use in treatment of neuronal conditions has been granted in the USA (USSN 60/826,208 filed 19/09/2006). Phylogica has also recently been allowed a European patent (05773610.0), which covers formulations of these peptides for the treatment of ischemia.
The commercialisation efforts of Phylogica and Bio-Link will be supported by a grant of $20,000 from the Western Australian government under the Innovation Vouchers Program (IVP). The IVP is part of the government’s Translating Research Scheme with the objective to translate research into economic, social and environmental outcomes for industry, government and the community of Western Australia. The major aim of the IVP is to enable small-to-medium enterprises to have access to, and establish collaborative relationships with, research providers and/or specialist commercialisation support services.
Dr Paul Watt, Phylogica’s Chief Executive Officer, commented on the news: "This non-dilutive grant income from the government has provided us with an opportunity to engage Bio-Link to support ongoing efforts to monetize our portfolio of Phylomer peptides targeting the AP-1 pathway. We believe that these unique peptides have substantial potential as drug candidates for multiple diseases and conditions with unmet medical need. The Bio-Link team comprises experienced industry executives with an excellent track record in securing partners or acquirers for biotech assets. We look forward to working with them to accelerate partnerships around these Phylomers, while Phylogica’s management team maintains its focus on building the Company’s drug discovery alliance activities.”
Paul Field, Bio-Link’s Executive Chairman, said: “We are excited by the opportunity to work with Phylogica and to partner this family of AP-1 inhibitory peptides with companies seeking new potential therapies for stroke, traumatic brain injury and ARDS.”
For further information, please contact:
Nick Woolf
CFO & VP, Corporate Development
Tel: +61 417 986 005
nwoolf@phylogica.com
Rudi Michelson
Monsoon Communications
Tel + 61 3 9620 3333
rudim@monsoon.com.au
About Phylogica
Phylogica Limited (ASX: PYC) is a biotechnology company based in Perth, Australia, and Oxford, UK, with a world-class drug discovery platform harnessing the rich biodiversity of nature to discover novel peptide therapeutics. The Company was incorporated in 2001 as a spin out from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (Perth, Australia) and the Fox Chase Cancer Centre (Philadelphia, USA). The Company’s drug discovery platform is based on its proprietary Phylomer® libraries containing over 100 billion unique natural peptides, which have been optimised by evolutionary selection to have stable drug-like structures. Phylogica offers fully integrated drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical industry utilising its Phylomer® libraries and proprietary screening technologies. Its current partners include Roche, MedImmune (the worldwide biologics arm of AstraZeneca), Pfizer and Janssen (the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson).
About Phylomer® Peptides
Phylomer peptides are derived from biodiverse natural sequences, which have been selected by evolution to form stable structures, which can bind tightly, and specifically to disease associated target proteins, both inside and outside cells. Suitable targets for blockade by Phylomers include protein interactions that promote multiple diseases, such as infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmunity and heart disease. Phylomer peptides can have drug-like properties, including specificity, potency and thermal stability, and are capable of being produced by synthetic or recombinant manufacturing processes. Phylomer peptides are also readily formulated for administration by a number of means, including parenteral or intranasal delivery approaches.
About Bio-Link
Bio-Link Australia Pty. Ltd. (www.bio-link.com) is a life sciences business development company, which facilitates partnerships in the biopharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. Bio-Link has offices in Melbourne and Sydney, and clients including leading Australian medical research institutes and ASX-listed biotechnology companies.
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