CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aviceda Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing next-generation immuno-modulators to treat diseases such as cancer, today announced a strategic partnership with the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s University Belfast (Queen’s). Aviceda’s HALOS™ (High-Affinity Ligands of Sigelcs) nanotechnology platform, based on an invention from the research team led by Professor Chris Scott, Scientific Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Aviceda & Interim Dean of Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Sciences, at Queen’s, harnesses the power of glycobiology to modulate the innate immune system to develop next-generation breakthrough therapeutics, with a focus on immuno-oncology.
This revolutionary technology was made possible only through collaborative research on the island of Ireland. The founding of Aviceda Glycotech Ltd, an oncology-focused spin-off company from Aviceda Therapeutics and Queen’s, based in Northern Ireland, highlights US-Ireland translational research collaborations which are a direct legacy of the Good Friday Agreement. This historic agreement brought an end to 30 years of conflict and allowed Belfast to develop the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research as an international powerhouse in precision oncology. Aviceda Glycotech looks forward to this collaboration aimed at developing the next generation of cancer checkpoint immune therapeutics in Belfast.
“It is critical that the biotechnology industry and academic institutions work together to foster innovation and accelerate drug development for diseases with significant unmet medical needs, and Queen’s is an ideal partner with a substantial track record in innovation to support us in this effort,” said Doctor Mohamed Genead, M.D., Co-Founder & President, and Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to work with the Queen’s team in realizing our vision of developing next generation glyco-therapeutics together.”
As part of the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement (Agreement 25), Dr. Genead, will participate on an expert panel and Professor Scott will chair a session during the Cancer Knows No Borders Agreement 25 Showcase Event at Queen’s to recognize the impact of the Good Friday Agreement on cancer research and cancer care. Professor Mark Lawler, Professor of Digital Health, Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics at Queen’s, Co-Lead of the All Island Cancer Research Institute and organizer of the Cancer Showcase event said, “This Showcase Event during the Agreement 25 Conference will reflect on the legacy and impact of the Good Friday Agreement on cancer research at Queen’s and how it is driving the development of an innovation cluster in Northern Ireland that can attract biotech companies like Aviceda Glycotech to benefit from the talent, infrastructure and precision medicine focus that Northern Ireland has to offer.”
“We are excited and honored to be in Belfast on this historic occasion and look forward to our collaboration with Queen’s as we aim to develop new approaches that will hopefully lead one day to the conquering of hard-to-treat cancers, building on a technology that was originally pioneered in Northern Ireland,” said Michael Tolentino MD, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Aviceda.
“This commercial investment is testament to collaboration across the island of Ireland and the US. It shows the potential of Northern Ireland to become an internationally renowned life and health science hub, aligning with Belfast Region City Deal investments in data science and clinical trial provision and the All-Island Cancer Research Institute. These developments are essential cogs in an ecosystem that will drive the discoveries we make in our laboratories into treatments that can alleviate suffering of patients worldwide,” said Professor Scott.
About Queen’s University & the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research
The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s University Belfast is a prestigious, world-class medical center that significantly impacts all of society – regionally, nationally, and globally – through innovative cancer research and education. Its mission is to improve patient outcomes, train the next generation of scientists and clinicians, and enhance the competitiveness of the UK life sciences sector.
Researchers at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (PGJCCR) are finding new ways to advance cancer treatment. They are taking the lead in personalized “precision” medicine and are working with partners around the world to pioneer advances in patient care.
The PGJCCR undertakes basic, translational, and clinical research into a range of cancer types including Solids tumors, blood cancers, tumor epidemiology and early detection, bioinformatics, therapy resistance, and advanced radiotherapy.
About Aviceda Therapeutics
Aviceda is a clinical stage private biotechnology company located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA with a proprietary nano-technology HALOS™ platform and an IND-ready ophthalmic lead product for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AVD-104 is an intravitreal nanoparticle molecule with a unique dual mechanism of action for the treatment of GA through its modulation of critical inflammatory pathways: 1) Direct inhibition of the activity of damaging phagocytic macrophages and repolarization of activated macrophages to their resolution state, and 2) Inhibition of complement cascade amplification. AVD-104 has demonstrated robust in-vitro/vivo efficacy with inhibition of both inflammatory & complement pathways and the potential for every 4-6-month dosing. Outstanding safety has been demonstrated in multiple animal models, including non-human primates, in which there were no signs of intra-ocular inflammation. In addition, AVD-104 has demonstrated equivalent prevention of neovascularization compared to aflibercept (Eylea) in a well-established ocular CNV model.
Along with AVD-104, Aviceda has a broad pipeline of products in development in ophthalmology and other therapeutic areas such as neurology, oncology, fibrosis, and immunology.
