Oxford BioMedica has used its Focused Target Identification platform to identify an enzyme that is central to the control of blood vessel growth, an essential feature of effective wound healing
Oxford BioMedica and Kiadis agreed in January 2003 a joint programme directed, in the first instance, at wound healing.
The global market for wound healing is estimated to be in excess of $1 billion.
Oxford BioMedica has used its Focused Target Identification platform to identify an enzyme that is central to the control of blood vessel growth, an essential feature of effective wound healing.
Inhibition of this enzyme is likely to be of value in several disease conditions with particular emphasis in cardiovascular indications.
Wound healing will be the initial focus because this provides a clear route to move towards clinical trials within a short period.
Relevant clinical applications include the treatment of debilitating non-healing ulcers that occur in diabetic patients and the management of non-healing wounds occurring as a consequence of cancer radiotherapy.
As part of the collaboration, Kiadis will apply its proprietary high resolution screening (HRS) technology to identify novel molecules that interact with the enzyme from complex mixtures of molecules derived from either natural products or synthetic libraries (e.g pooled single compounds).
Oxford BioMedica will characterise molecules identified by Kiadis as part of the product optimisation process.
The goal will be to produce a small molecule that has demonstrable efficacy in both preclinical and clinical studies and to license that molecule to an industry partner for commercialisation.
Alan Kingsman (CEO, Oxford BioMedica) said, "We are delighted to be combining our first output from the Target Identification programme with such creative chemistry.
"Kiadis is using a completely novel approach to small molecule discovery.
"We anticipate finding novel products that address the substantial unmet market for effective wound healing".
Steve Long (director drug discovery, Kiadis) said, "Kiadis has the ability to screen molecules with an enormous chemical diversity and rapidly optimise chosen lead molecules, so we are delighted to form this collaboration with Oxford BioMedica.
"Oxford BioMedica understands the target and has the correct expertise to identify the value of chosen molecules - a winning combination."
