Technology Opportunities

Highlights

In the field of anti-platelet drugs there is a need for novel drugs to provide delicate manipulation of platelet activity. These drugs named "blood thinners" are used to prevent blood clots which lead to heart attack or stroke. Available drugs such as heparin, fibrinolytics, vitamin K antagonists, direct thrombin inhibitors and factor Xa inhibitors have serious haemorrhagic side effects, while a better safety profile is expected for Vipegitide, our leading anti-platelet compound.

Our Innovation

• New molecular structure - peptidomimetic
• Selective for α2 integrin - collagen I platelet receptor
• Anti-adhesive properties (in vitro)
• Inhibitor of collagen I- and ADP-induced platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma (PRP) and whole blood in humans (ex vivo)
• Increased stability in human serum (up to 3 hours) by pegylation
• Mechanism of action - pegylated Vipegitide competed with collagen I for the same platelet receptor

Key Features

Vipegitide is an anti-platelet aggregation (anti-coagulant) peptidomimetic with α2 integrin receptor selective antagonistic activity and possibly with a better safety profile.

Development Milestones

Licencing and collaborating research

The Opportunity

• Worldwide, numbers of heart attacks and strokes will rise this decade. Blood thinners will play important roles in helping to prevent/treat these disorders.
• The anticoagulant market is projected to grow from around $6 billion in 2008 to over $9 billion in 2014.
• It is estimated that α2 integrin antagonists will be very safe and gentle drugs, therefore taking a large piece of platelet aggregation inhibitors.
• This potential drug can be developed either alone or in conjunction with cardiac stents.