Isotechnika Expands Immunosuppressive Drug Pipeline
biz.yahoo.com
EDMONTON, May 21 /CNW/ - Isotechnika Inc. announced today that the company is developing a novel immunosuppressive compound called TAFA93. This new therapeutic is a small molecule mTOR inhibitor; a class of drugs currently used in the prevention of organ rejection in transplantation and as a coated stent therapy in the treatment of coronary artery disease. The mechanism of action of TAFA93 is distinct from calcineurin inhibitors such as ISA247, Isotechnika's lead drug. Therefore, TAFA93 has the potential to be administered as a complimentary therapy with ISA247 in the prevention of organ rejection after transplantation.
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In early preclinical studies, TAFA93 is demonstrating promising pharmacokinetic results which are distinct from other drugs in its class such as Rapamycin(R). The Company is committed to advancing this new compound as quickly as possible.
The current global market for mTOR inhibitors is $500,000,000 USD in transplantation alone. An improved safety profile would significantly expand the market potential for this drug class not only for use in transplantation but also for treatment of various autoimmune diseases.
"The discovery and early development of this novel immunosuppressive drug is another exciting chapter in the history of our Company", stated Dr. Randall W. Yatscoff, President & COO. "One of our strategic priorities is to build a robust pipeline of complimentary immunosuppressive drugs with blockbuster potential. Isotechnika's discovery and early development of TAFA93 underscores our progress in expanding our pipeline, testifies to the depth of our scientific expertise and validates the strength of our research technology platform. We expect this combined strength to lead to further expansion in our product portfolio over time."
About mTOR inhibitors - mTOR inhibitors are a class of immunosuppressive drugs, which include Rapamune(R), that inhibit T cell activation at a different stage in the immune response as compared to other classes (i.e. calcineurin inhibitors, DNA synthesis inhibitors). In transplantation, mTOR inhibitors are typically used in combination with calcineurin inhibitors. The side effects (hyperlipidemia, gastrointestinal effects, thrombocytopenia), of this class of drugs currently limit its broader use in transplantation and the treatment of autoimmune diseases. |
