Download GI ProDrugs Medicines for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Introduction:

GI ProDrugs
Medicines for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Introduction:
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a group of conditions of the colon and small
intestine, of which Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD) are major
types. GI ProDrugs are a group of proprietary treatments for IBD based on
targeting technology developed at the School of Pharmacy and the School of
Medicine at TCD.
Chemical drug targeting involves the deliberate modification of a drug structure
causing it to accumulate at the target tissue, enhancing the efficacy of the drug
treatment whilst reducing systemic impact of side effects. IBD is a chronic disorder
with significant morbidity in the form of diarrhea, weight loss and potentially serious
and life-threatening complications.
IBD is a common disorder – annual incidence of 1.2% and 0.63% for UC and CD,
respectively, in the US and EU. In 2010 worldwide sales of the mesalazine class of
drugs for UC amounted to $1.6B
Concept:
DRUG
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CARRIER
LINKER
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Enzymatic Cleavage – Specific to Colonic Microflora
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Oral NCE prodrug for delivery of steroid to the colon
Primary indication:
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Ulcerative Colitis
Secondary Indication:
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Crohn’s Disease
Cleavage by colonic flora liberates steroid
Less systemic toxicity compared to steroid alone
Platform for delivery of other small molecules to colon
LINKER
DRUG
CARRIER
The Opportunity:
•Large market
Data:
• Novel, colon-targeting, patent protected pro-drug technology
• Proof of concept and proof of principle demonstrated in in vivo models
• With dedicated resources anticipate ~18 months to the clinic
• Clearly defined patient population and well designed clinical studies
ready for execution
GI ProDrug
• Positive feedback from IBD thought leaders
•Potential to expand platform to include next generation steroids for IBD
and therapies for colorectal cancer
Figure: Drug activity index score profile of DSS-induced colitis subjects
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Researchers: Dr. John Gilmer and Prof. Dermot Kelleher [email protected]
TTO Contact: Gordon Elliott [email protected]