New Uses for Old Drugs
08/12/2008
New Uses for Old Drugs
High Wycombe, UK, 8 December 2008 - A method for discovering entirely new career paths for existing clinical drugs is being exploited by start-up company Tangent Reprofiling Ltd., following a deal just signed between the company, PepTcell Limited, the University of Warwick and Warwick spin-out company a2sp Ltd.
The technique, developed at the University of Warwick, enables researchers to investigate potential new uses for drugs which are already approved for clinical use.
Tangent Reprofiling, set up as a subsidiary of the immunology company PepTcell, and based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has now acquired the intellectual property which will allow it to make use of the technique.
The idea of ‘reprofiling’ drugs is not unique to Tangent – perhaps the most famous example is the drug Viagra, which was originally developed to combat high blood pressure and angina. However this particular technique allows researchers to assess a wide landscape of current drugs in a cost and time efficient manner, using a combination of established chemical genomics techniques and proprietary chemistry.
Dr Suzanne Dilly, Tangent’s new CEO, explained, “Most drugs work by interacting with proteins in the body. By using the technology platform developed by a2sp Ltd, we can look for unexpected interactions between a drug and different proteins and then suggest potential new uses for that drug.
“One advantage of reprofiling drugs is that they have already gone through the rigorous tests required before a drug can be cleared for clinical use, a process which can take several years.”
Warwick Ventures, the university’s technology transfer office, supported the deal, which sees all a2sp’s employees moving across to Tangent Reprofiling and a2sp COO Suzanne Dilly becoming Tangent’s new CEO.
Dr Dilly added: “We are excited to be joining the PepTcell group and eagerly anticipate working with their innovative scientific team.”
PepTcell holds the majority interest in Tangent Reprofiling with the other shareholders comprising the University of Warwick and previous staff members, consultants and directors of a2sp.
John Mihell, of Warwick Ventures, said: “We are glad to see another spin out company successfully commercialised. We are excited by the prospects of this new relationship with the PepTcell group and hope that Tangent Reprofiling will fulfil their objectives.”
Gregory Stoloff, of PepTcell, added: “PepTcell is excited by this acquisition which completes its drug reprofiling ambitions by complementing the activities of its recently established subsidiary Biocopea Ltd. PepTcell now has the full spectrum of risk from reprofiling through to new drug development with a particular focus in the area of immunology.”
Dr Suzanne Dilly is joined on the board of Tangent Reprofiling by Dr Paul Taylor, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Warwick, who will also be providing services as a consultant. The Board is completed by Chairman, Gregory Stoloff, and PepTcell members, James Synge and Wilson Caparros Wanderley.
-ENDS-
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About PepTcell Ltd
PepTcell is a biotechnology company focused on applying its breakthrough technology to the development of a new class of vaccines – T-cell vaccines – against highly mutagenic viruses. The Company began operating in 2004; however the founding shareholders and key employees have been working on this novel concept for over 20 years.
Since its inception, the Company has completed the majority of its pre-clinical work for its influenza and HIV vaccines. PepTcell’s lead product Flu-v, a single treatment flu vaccine is about to enter clinical trials in the UK. The vaccine, developed to be effective against all strains of flu virus (technical animation available) could eliminate the need for annual flu vaccinations.
PepTCell, a private Company, headquartered in High Wycombe, UK is in the process of finalising all the manufacturing processes for its Flu-v vaccine, and successfully raised capital from a range of investors.
For further information please visit the website at www.peptcell.com
For further information please contact:
College Hill
Tony Stephenson, Benjamyn Tan
Email: peptcell@collegehill.com
Tel : +44 (0)20 7866 7864