New class of anti-angiogenesis agents gets 2 million euro boost
pharmafile | January 8, 2007 | News story | Research and Development |
Two European biotech companies have received a grant of two million euros to jointly develop a new class of anti-angiogenesis agents.
The EU grant will support the research efforts initiated by ThromboGenics of Belgium and BioInvent of Sweden in 2004, based on antibodies against Placental Growth Factor (P1GF).
Thrombogenetics and BioInvent will conduct the research in collaboration with Cardiff, Berlin and Leuven universities.
Over the next two years, the consortium will further develop the antibody-based product TB-403 for the treatment of tumours, inflammation and eye disease.
TB-403 has shown a good level of inhibition of P1GF-associated angiogenesis and tumour growth in pre-clinical trials and the first stages in the toxicology programme for the compound have already begun.
The P1GF growth factor is secreted by tumours and is expressed specifically in cancer and chronic inflammatory conditions. It affects the formation of new blood vessels in tissues that are under stress, but does not appear to interfere with normal, physiological angiogenesis.
The companies say the inhibition of P1GF is expected to have fewer side-effects than some existing anti-angiogenic agents.
Roche and Genentech's blockbuster, Avastin, was approved in the EU in January 2006 as a first-line treatment of patients with metastasis colorectal cancer in combination with two types of chemotherapy.
Prof Desiree Colleen, chief executive and chairman of ThromboGenics, said: "We are pleased about this EU grant as it validates our efforts in the development of an important new approach for the treatment of a range of vascular-associated diseases."
She added: "Our preclinical studies have shown that the inhibition of P1GF provides benefits that could alter the landscape of anti-angiogenic therapy."
Svein Mathisen, chief executive and president of BioInvent said it was very encouraging that the EU had supported a product candidate that could result in novel treatments for a number of serious diseases.
The companies have another joint programme in progress, focusing on the development of anti-Factor VIII monoclonal antibody – TB-402 – as a novel anti-coagulant therapy. An application to begin phase I clinical trials has been submitted in Denmark and the study is expected to start early this year.
