Roquefort Therapeutics PLC (LSE:ROQ) is to accelerate two of the antibody programmes it acquired with Lyramid, having determined they have high commercial potential in cancer treatment.
Stephen West, executive chairman, said the biotech wants to be first to market with an anti-Midkine oncology antibody.
Lyramid, a pioneer in inhibiting Midkine, a factor linked to a number of serious diseases, was acquired in December and Roquefort said the programmess, ROQA1 and ROQA2, demonstrated significant anti-cancer activity in validated in vivo models of metastatic tumours.
The intention is for a CTA/IND [new drug] filing in late 2023.
Elsewhere, the company has continued its collaboration with Murdoch University in Western Australia to design and test a novel series of gene silencing reagents, antisense oligonucleotides, targeting Midkine.
Oligonucleotide drugs interfere with the processing of the Midkine mRNA ultimately leading to reduced active Midkine protein produced in diseased tissues and tumours, said Roquefort.
West added: "It has been a very active start to the year during which we have made significant progress.
“The collaboration with Murdoch University is yielding encouraging results with the company's lead oligonucleotide drug candidates.
“In addition, we are delighted that the review of the wider portfolio acquired with Lyramid has resulted in the conclusion that two of the antibody programs have high commercial potential and we will therefore be accelerating the development of those.
“These are exciting developments that broaden the commercial potential within the company and enhance the upside value that we believe can be delivered as we progress the programs."