Novel Drugs for the Treatment & Prevention of Allergy
BACKGROUND There is a high and increasing incidence of allergic disorders such as asthma and hay fever. It is expected that some 300m people in the western world will suffer from allergic diseases by 2010. Upwards of 60% of asthma cases are triggered by allergic responses and up to 1 in 4 urban children suffer from asthma. . Pioneering research by Prof David Garrod (University of Manchester) and Dr Clive Robinson (St. Georges Hospital Medical School) into cell junction processes and the mechanism by which allergens enter the body has led to the development of a novel class of drugs for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of allergies, for out-licensing to healthcare companies. The novelty is to block the entry of allergens into the body and therefore prevent the onset of allergic reactions in the first place. THE TECHNOLOGY This solution to the allergy problem – like all important discoveries – is remarkably simple. Novel Allergen Delivery Inhibitors (ADIs) have been developed which prevent common allergens from interacting at cell junctions and entering the body to produce the symptoms of allergic disorders. Unlike existing treatments which relieve the symptoms of disease, uniquely, these small molecule protease inhibitors block the causative process. The effect is to offer the benefits of allergen avoidance without the lifestyle changes needed to bring this about. KEY BENEFITS• Potential to radically alter the management of asthma
• Prevents the triggering of allergic reactions rather than treating the symptoms
• Extensive in vitro and in vivo (animal model) studies
• Lead compounds identified:
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
• Treatment of a range of allergic conditions: asthma, hayfever and allergic rhinitis
• Potential for systemic delivery via an oral tablet or local delivery via an inhaler PATENT STATUS International patents granted and others to be filed COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITY An in-licensing opportunity for pharmaceutical / biotechnology firms with an interest in asthma and related allergic conditions.
Type of Offer: Licensing
« More Pharmaceutical Patents