Poolbeg Pharma in-licences new immunotherapy for respiratory viruses
The infectious disease pharmaceutical company (POLB announced that it has in-licenced a ‘first-in-class’ RNA-based immunotherapy for respiratory virus infections.
Poolbeg, a spin-out of London-listed Open Orphan, developed the novel immunotherapy as POLB 002 at the University of Warwick. It told investors that it is derived from twenty years of research with world class virologists, Professor Andrew Easton and Professor Nigel Dimmock.
Addressing investors, Poolbeg said it has secured an exclusive licence to this dual antiviral prophylactic and therapeutic candidate, which is at a late-pre-clinical development stage.
In vivo data confirms that this immunotherapy asset targets pan-respiratory virus infections, which could include influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), SARS-CoV-2 and others.
Administered intranasally, this RNA-based immunotherapy works by triggering nasal cells into an antiviral state to protect from the infecting virus, Poolbeg explained. Simultaneously, it blocks the cells from making more viruses by directly preventing its replication, it added.
The Company explained that both modes of action combined can reduce infectious viral loads as well as improve disease symptoms. ‘As a nasally administered and rapidly effective prophylactic antiviral candidate, it could potentially provide an effective solution for protecting at-risk patient populations (e.g. the elderly, COPD patients, and asthmatics),’ it outlined.
Currently, respiratory virus infections are considered to be a top five global killer, resulting in more than three million annual deaths worldwide, according to data reported by Poolbeg.
The Company explained that there is ‘a significant unmet need for improved respiratory virus infection therapies and the current available treatments, vaccines and antiviral drugs, are typically pathogen specific. Consequently, 85% of illnesses caused by non-influenza viruses cannot be adequately treated and the emergence of resistance is also a major concern.’
Commenting on the news, Dr Jeremy Skillington, Chief Executive of Poolbeg Pharma, told investors: “This dual action immunotherapy developed by the team at University of Warwick is a really exciting technology in the field of respiratory virus disease treatments. The data shows it to rapidly reduce viral load and also prevent the likelihood of virus resistance.”
He added “It will be an excellent addition to our growing pipeline of assets and we plan to move rapidly towards human proof-of-concept studies using our capital light clinical model.
Poolbeg’s aim with POLB 002 is to progress the asset into a partnership with Big Pharma.
Commenting further on the news, Professor Andrew Easton, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, said: “Currently most respiratory virus infections cannot be treated despite being responsible for millions of deaths each year. This is a very exciting new approach with great potential. We are delighted to be developing it alongside the Poolbeg Pharma team, with their extensive knowledge and experience in the sector.”
Poolbeg is targeting the growing infectious disease market which in recent years has become one of the fastest growing pharma markets and is expected to exceed $250bn by 2025.
Last month, Poolbeg announced that it had agreed to develop an oral vaccine delivery platform with the health technologies of the firm AnaBio. It said it had signed a binding term sheet with AnaBio, a specialist microencapsulation, which would allow it to gain exclusive access to the company’s technologies, IP and expertise for oral vaccine applications.
By utilising AnaBio’s microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation technologies in conjunction with its own expertise in infectious diseases, vaccine development and its associated technologies, Poolbeg Pharma intends to develop an oral vaccine delivery platform.
The Company explained that it will also conduct an investigation using its proprietary Vaccine Discovery Platform in conjunction with this jointly developed oral vaccine delivery platform.
Poolbeg noted in its statement at the time that oral vaccines for diseases such as polio have been used successfully for decades by delivering antigens to specific areas of the gut with the objective of stimulating ‘mucosal immunity’, which prevents pathogens infecting the body.
Addressing its shareholders, the Company highlighted that, ’’Oral vaccines offer an efficient method of administration, reducing significant challenges for distribution and administration addressing the gaps in supplying the global community as well as addressing needle-phobia.’
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