ABINGDON, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Atopix Therapeutics Ltd (“Atopix”), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative CRTH2 antagonists for allergic disease, today announced the addition of SR One to its investor syndicate and the appointment of Dr Deborah Harland, Partner, SR One to the Board of Directors, following an extension to its Series A financing. The additional funds provided by SR One will be used to complete the evaluation of Atopix’s lead CRTH2 antagonist OC459 in atopic dermatitis and to assess the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of its highly potent back-up molecule ATX2417 in Phase I studies.
Atopix will continue to explore the utility of these compounds in patients with diseases characterised by an overactive Th2 immune response, such as severe eosinophilic asthma.
OC459 is a once daily oral anti-Th2 treatment that has been shown to be effective in improving lung function and quality of life in steroid-free patients with mild-to-moderate eosinophilic asthma1. Recent disclosures at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Munich indicate that oral CRTH2 antagonists are also effective in patients with more severe eosinophilic asthma who are not controlled by high dose corticosteroids2. These data provide further support to the view that anti-Th2 therapies will provide much needed therapeutic benefit for patients with severe allergic disease, including those with asthma and atopic dermatitis.
Tim Edwards, Executive Chairman of Atopix, said: “We are delighted to welcome SR One as an investor. This funding will allow us to execute our strategy to identify best-in-class CRTH2 antagonists as once daily oral therapies for patients with allergic diseases where their pathology is driven by an overactive Th2 immune response”.
References:
1. Pettipher et al (2014) Allergy 69: 1223–1232
2. Gonem et al (2014). European Respiratory Society International Congress September 6-10, Munich
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About Atopix Therapeutics Ltd
Atopix Therapeutics Limited is a privately held, clinical-stage, biopharmaceutical company based in Oxford, UK, with an innovative approach to allergic disease. The company is developing a novel class of oral anti-allergic medicines, called CRTH2 antagonists, to treat atopic dermatitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis. Its lead candidate is currently being studied in a Phase 2 clinical trial for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in several leading European dermatology centres. Atopix has a pipeline of highly potent back-up CRTH2 antagonists, including the Phase 1 ready oral candidate ATX2417, and topical candidates that can be formulated for treatment of a number of severe allergic conditions including eye disease. For more information, please visit http://www.atopixtherapeutics.co.uk.
About SR One
SR One is the corporate venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline. The firm invests globally in emerging life science companies that are pursuing innovative science which will significantly impact medical care. SR One has a team of investment professionals, located in the US and UK whose experience spans basic science, industry and the market. The current portfolio includes approximately 35 private and public companies and since founding in 1985, SR One has invested over $830MM in the biotech space. For more information, please visit http://www.srone.com.
About CRTH2
CRTH2 is a G protein coupled receptor, genetic variants in which predispose patients to the development of both asthma and atopic dermatitis. As a CRTH2 antagonist, OC459 has demonstrated in pre-clinical studies that it suppresses the recruitment and activation of key cells involved in the allergic response such as Th2 lymphocytes, type 2 innate lymphoid cells, basophils and eosinophils, resulting in reduced disease pathology.