January/February 2025 • PharmaTimes Magazine • 9
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Oxford Drug Design achieves in vivo validation for novel cancer treatment
Oxford Drug Design, the Oxford-based AI drug discovery company, has announced further in vivo validation for its first-in-class cancer treatment approach.
The company is developing novel treatments using its pioneering AI platform for oncology and other major diseases with unmet needs.
A recent in vivo mouse colorectal cancer model study showed a 60% life extension, indicating clear efficacy and dose response, while maintaining an acceptable safety profile. These positive results have led to an expanded mouse study, currently showing further progress.
Oxford Drug Design’s advances are enabled by its dual-competence discovery platform. This platform integrates generative AI capabilities with tRNA synthetase expertise, including proprietary structural biology.
The innovative approach targets leucyl-tRNA synthetase, a member of the tRNA synthetase enzyme family. New data demonstrates the potential of the company’s proprietary molecules to modulate tRNA synthetases as a novel cancer treatment.
The lead candidates are part of Oxford Drug Design’s extensive portfolio of new chemical scaffolds. These scaffolds have shown broad activity against the enzyme class.
Dr Paul Finn, CSO of Oxford Drug Design, stated: “Our expertise in generative AI and tRNA-synthetase drug discovery continues to produce breakthrough novel lead series.” He added that its oncology programme’s progress is the latest example of its efficiency and effectiveness.
Grifols pioneers high-tech analysis of plasma bank to detect Parkinson’s disease
Grifols has received a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to identify plasma-based biomarkers that could indicate a person’s likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD) years before clinical diagnosis.
The initiative, named Chronos-PD, could lead to the discovery of new diagnostic tools and disease-modifying therapeutics.
PD affects nearly 1 million people in the US and over 6 million people globally. It occurs when brain cells that produce dopamine stop working or die.
Currently, physicians use medical history, physical exams and brain imaging tests to diagnose PD. Early detection biomarkers are urgently needed for more effective therapeutic interventions.
The $21 million award will fund a study to analyze plasma samples over up to ten years. This could establish an early-warning system for PD.
Grifols’ plasma sample repository is one of the largest globally, with over 100 million samples collected over nearly 15 years. The same analyses applied to PD samples can be replicated for other diseases.
Dr Jörg Schüttrumpf, Grifols’ Chief Scientific Innovation Officer, said: “Our groundbreaking initiative leverages Grifols’ unique plasma samples, comprehensive technology platforms and plasma proteomics expertise.” He added that this approach has the potential to revolutionise PD management.
HOT & NOT
Cambridge Cognition Holdings has expanded its partnership with Actinogen Medical for the phase 2b/3 XanaMIA Alzheimer’s disease trial.
Building on the successful integration of Cambridge Cognition’s digital tools during the first phase of this study, Actinogen will continue to use the company’s validated tools for more precise clinical measurements.
Actinogen is developing a novel therapy to control elevated brain cortisol levels and slow or halt disease progression.
Prostate cancer resistant to hormone therapy could soon have a new treatment option.
The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, found that the drug NXP800, currently in trials for ovarian and bile duct cancer, can slow prostate tumour growth and overcome hormone therapy resistance.
Dr Adam Sharp, Leader of the Translational Therapeutics Group at ICR, said: “We need to tackle the problem from a new angle. Excitingly, we’ve shown that targeting [the heat shock response pathway] can slow the growth of prostate cancer tumours – even for tumours that are resistant to hormone therapy.”
Owlstone Medical has announced a first close of $27 million (circa £22 million) in its Series E financing round. The round was led by Ventura Capital, with participation from Aviva Ventures, Horizons Ventures and the Gates Foundation.
The funds will support the development and commercialisation of Owlstone’s Breath Biopsy platform. This includes diagnostic tests and point-of-care devices for lung cancer, liver disease and digestive diseases.
Pheno Therapeutics has received clinical trial authorisation (CTA) from the UK’s MHRA for its lead candidate, PTD802.
The small molecule therapeutic is designed to promote remyelination in neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS).
PTD802 is a selective GPR17 antagonist developed under an exclusive worldwide licence agreement with UCB. The programme aims to address high unmet medical needs in neurological diseases.
This winter near record flu levels have piled more pressure on NHS services. According to the NHS Confederation, there were 5,408 patients in hospital with flu on average each day during a sample week – the second highest level since the pandemic.
On average, there were 742 adult beds closed due to patients in hospital with D&V/norovirus-like symptoms, up from 666 the week before.
Meanwhile, some 53,270 members of staff were absent per day due to sickness or self-isolation.
NHS England also warns that there is continual pressure from COVID-19, while RSV and norovirus cases in hospital are also higher than last year.
Alongside the data, local NHS leaders have been describing the increased pressures they are facing to the NHS Confederation, with several key issues emerging.
More NHS Trusts are expected to declare critical incidents in the days and weeks ahead, with primary care already seeing demand increase significantly after the holiday period.
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