Objective
Inflammatory disorders are considered to be the underlying cause of at least 50 different diseases, many of which are disabling or even fatal, i.e. heart attack, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and stroke. Current therapies are mainly treating symptoms and not the basic disease mechanisms and many of them have disturbing side effects.
In the proposed project a strategic partnership will be formed between a Swedish biotech SME, AlligatorBioscience AB, and an academic partner, the Eijkman Winkler Institute at University Medical Centre in Utrecht. Alligator specialises in development of protein based drug candidates. The unique asset of the company is the proprietary protein engineering technology FIND (Fragment INduced Diversity), which is speedy and makes it feasible to develop drugs from starting material so far not appropriate for human use. UMCU has frontline expertise in the interaction between bacteria and the human immune system, and in highly specialised cell based functional assays and animal models.
The immediate objective of the project is to pursue two different approaches to develop novel drug candidates for the treatment and basic disease modification of inflammatory disorders. The first involves de-immunisation of an already identified molecule (CHIPS) derived from Staphylococci, the second involves development of small antibody fragments that mimic the CHIPS action. The CHIPS molecule was developed by UMCU, and the group has also shown the therapeutic potential of the substance.
Further development has however so far been abandoned because of a strong immune response elicited by the molecule. The combined efforts and expertise areas of the two partners will now make a new development possible. As a long term objective the collaboration will provide both partners with technologies and a scientific contact network that will promote their future development and scientific as well as commercial competitiveness.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunology
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinecardiologycardiovascular diseases
Call for proposal
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-3
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Funding Scheme
TOK - Marie Curie actions-Transfer of KnowledgeCoordinator
Lund
Sweden
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Participants (1)
Utrecht
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