10th March 2016
Cambridge, UK, 8th February 2016 – Biosceptre, a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to cancer, today announced that the UK government-backed Innovate UK SMART award scheme, has awarded the company £100,000 to support pre-clinical development of diagnostic approaches and antibodies to target Kidney and Lung cancers. This project will enable Biosceptre to obtain efficacy data and support the development of a companion diagnostic for the Company’s lead therapeutic candidate BIL03s. Biosceptre will also undertake business development activities to establish the commercial and clinical pathways for BIL03s development.
Biosceptre’s diagnostic and therapeutic candidates are based on its proprietary nfP2X7 platform. This platform utilises antibody- and peptide-based approaches to target nfP2X7, a unique variant of the P2X7 receptor present on the surface of cancerous but not normal cells. Biosceptre has established freedom to operate and a strong global patent portfolio. Antibodies targeting nf-P2X7 have shown specificity, safety and efficacy in pre-clinical studies. A phase I trial has confirmed safety and provided a strong indication of efficacy against basal cell carcinoma. Hence, nf-P2X7 can be targeted safely and effectively.
Gavin Currie, Biosceptre’s CEO said; “Biosceptre is delighted to receive funding from the UK’s innovation agency to progress the development of our novel diagnostics and therapeutics targeting cancer. Successfully winning funding represents a major vote of confidence in our approaches to target cancer through nf-P2X7. This award recognises the need for effective new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches against cancer, and the potential of our technology to protect against a wide range of disease-causing strains.”
Media contact:
Daniel Barton
Biosceptre
media@biosceptre.com
+61 412 548 824
+1 650 249 4977