Aptamer Group PLC (AIM:APTA) shares rose 10% as it said proof-of-concept work on its new drug-targeting agent Optimer+ produced highly specific binders with significantly higher affinity than current technology platforms.
Development times for Optimer+ were also significantly faster than existing aptamer-based approaches, said the statement.
Preliminary experiments in mice also indicated Optimer+ binders to be well tolerated and demonstrate the basic requirements for therapeutic applications.
Aptamer added it expects the new Optimer+ platform to expand the capability of its binders in all applications, especially in precision medicine.
Arron Tolley, Aptamer’s chief technical officer, said; “Both the lab-based research and the initial animal experiments suggest that Optimer+ will be well placed to deliver the next generation of binders to enable the targeted delivery of precision medicines.
“This is an area where we are seeing increasing interest due to the unmet needs across gene therapy and precision chemotherapy."
Shares rose to 0.91p.