Collaboration with Pharmaxis progresses well with Phase I clinical trials scheduled to commence in 2017
Southampton, UK – 22 March 2016: Synairgen plc (LSE: SNG), the respiratory drug discovery and development company, today announces positive results from its ongoing collaboration with Pharmaxis (ASX: PXS) to develop a lysyl oxidase type 2 enzyme (LOXL2) inhibitor as a novel treatment for the fatal lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
IPF results from the build-up of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the lungs, which prevents normal uptake of oxygen. Scar tissue is comprised of collagen fibres which, when excessively produced and cross-linked, result in fibrosis. IPF represents a significant indication with more than 100,000 patients in the USA alone1.
Today’s results were generated in an in vitro model of IPF, developed in collaboration with scientists at the University of Southampton, using lung cells from IPF patients. Human tissue-based models are increasingly recognised as being better for studying human disease than many animal-based or cell line-based research models. This is particularly the case for IPF, where the underlying causes of the disease are not well understood.
The results of the experiments announced today show that the Pharmaxis enzyme inhibitors, by inhibiting LOXL2, are able to reduce cross-linking of collagen fibres in a dose dependent manner. Additionally it has also been found that collagen fibres were less organised in the presence of the inhibitors. It is hypothesised that this will result in less “stiff” lung tissue and that this may beneficially alter the course of this devastating disease.
Synairgen is now focussing on the pharmacology of the inhibitors and expects to progress one of these inhibitors into Phase I clinical trials during 2017.
References
1. https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis. Accessed March 2016
Commenting on the results, Richard Marsden, Chief Executive of Synairgen, said: “We are very pleased with the progress made with this collaboration and are excited by these results. We look forward to updating the markets with further progress over the coming months.”
Ends
For further enquiries, please contact:
Synairgen plc
Richard Marsden, Chief Executive Officer
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Tel: + 44 (0) 23 8051 2800
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About Synairgen
Synairgen is a respiratory drug discovery and development company founded by University of Southampton Professors Stephen Holgate, Donna Davies and Ratko Djukanovic. The business, focused primarily on asthma and COPD, uses its differentiating human biology BioBank platform and world-renowned international academic KOL network to discover and develop novel therapies for respiratory disease. Leveraging scientific and clinical trial facilities at the University of Southampton and Southampton General Hospital, the Company uses in vitro and ex vivo models to progress opportunities into clinical development. The BioBank of human samples is used in these models to increase confidence in the likelihood of successful drug development. Core to Synairgen’s business strategy is the realisation of value via licensing transactions – validated in June 2014 by the SNG001 agreement formed with AstraZeneca. Synairgen is quoted on AIM (LSE: SNG). For more information about Synairgen, please see www.synairgen.com.
