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22nd September 2003
DanioLabs and Oxagen to Collaborate
on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
NOVEL DISEASE
MODEL TO AUGMENT OXAGEN’S
GPCR PROGRAMME
DanioLabs
Ltd, the drug discovery company using zebrafish as a
model for human disease, and Oxagen Limited, the biotechnology
company specialising in genetics-based target identification,
validation and drug discovery, announced today a revenue
generating collaborative agreement in inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD). Under the terms of the agreement, DanioLabs
will use their proprietary IBD model to screen compounds
from Oxagen’s G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)
programme.
These compounds are the output
from an Oxagen screening exercise against IBD associated
target receptors identified
through Oxagen’s GPCR programme. GPCRs are the
most numerous and diverse family of receptors and are
responsible for controlling the physiology of the major
organ systems. Consequently GPCRs are an important target
for therapeutic intervention and many of the most successful
drugs on the market today modulate their activity. Oxagen
is exploiting its comprehensive genetic, expression and
functional data, combined with extensive disease related
clinical resources to validate GPCRs as drug targets.
Using the zebrafish, DanioLabs has created a cost effective,
high-throughput, in vivo model of IBD which has been
shown to have clinical, pathological and biological relevance
to the human disease. This model will be used to correlate
compound activity with disease rescue in the zebrafish,
and identify and evaluate novel treatments for the disease.
Dr Paul Goldsmith, Chief Scientific
Officer of DanioLabs, said, “This programme brings together two powerful
technologies. If we can successfully combine Oxagen’s
approach to the understanding of the genetic components
of disease in humans, with our ability to rapidly and
cost-effectively evaluate a phenotypic disease response,
we will have a powerful system to help identify and develop
novel compounds with wide applicability.”
Dr Mark Payton, Chief Executive
Officer of Oxagen added, “IBD
is an area of major focus for Oxagen. Following on from
a successful pilot study, if the scientific programme
works as we hope, we can significantly reduce our research
timelines and costs through the use of this powerful
model system. Furthermore, where GPCRs showing disease
associations have existing drug candidates in development
for alternative indications we can rapidly identify opportunities
to re-profile those molecules into treatment of this
debilitating condition.”
IBD is a term that covers a variety
of diseases including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s
Disease which effect the gastrointestinal tract. These
are chronic inflammatory
conditions which affect the gut with periods of relapse
and remission. There are about 5 million sufferers worldwide.
There is currently no cure.
Notes to Editors
About DanioLabs Ltd
DanioLabs is a therapeutics company that uses its world
leading phenotype driven drug discovery technologies
to identify novel treatments for a variety of human
diseases. A major part of the DanioLabs platform involves
the use of zebrafish as an experimental species. Using
these models, the company is able to identify activity
of experimental compounds, and to provide the additional
evidence relevant to the treatment of the disease needed
to progress such compounds cost-effectively through
the drug development process.
DanioLabs build high-throughput disease models that
allow 96 well plate format in vivo screening. As well
as working with partners to develop new models in a variety
of disease areas and to undertake screening campaigns,
the company also use their systems to identify their
own novel therapeutics in the specific areas of ophthalmology
and neurological disease. As well as identifying novel
use opportunities, the company is also developing chemistry
around interesting novel targets. For more information
on DanioLabs Ltd, please see www.daniolabs.com
About Oxagen Limited
Oxagen is a biopharmaceutical company building a novel
drug pipeline that is focused on targets such as GPCRs
and which are validated in man through Oxagen’s
genetics platform and using its unique family-based clinical
genetics resources. The Company specializes in target
identification and validation in inflammatory and metabolic
diseases and is creating a pipeline of novel, highly
validated drug targets for licensing to partner companies
and for in-house development. Oxagen’s genetics
platform has also generated panels of molecular diagnostic
markers, which, when linked together with information
relating to the genetic pre-disposition to developing
a disease, can lead to early detection of disease susceptibility
and early treatment to restrict disease progression.
Oxagen was established in April 1997 and has built an
extensive technical and analytical capability with some
90 members of staff all based in Milton Park, south of
Oxford. Oxagen has established partnerships with a number
of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including
AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, and Incyte
Genomics. For more information on Oxagen, please visit
www.oxagen.co.uk
About Colitis and Crohn’s Disease
Further information on Colitis and Crohn’s disease
is available from the National Association for Colitis
and Crohn’s Disease (NACC), a UK based Charity
(www.nacc.org.uk).
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