Jun 24 2014
PeptiMed announced today that under a Material Transfer Agreement it will collaborate with the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCL), located at the Frederick National Laboratory of Cancer Research in Frederick, MD.
Under the terms of the Agreement, PeptiMed will provide the NCL with nanocomplex consisting of its proprietary siRNA and patented elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), and NCL personnel will measure material properties indicative of safety and efficacy for potential future dosing in the clinic.
The nanocomplex materials to be provided by PeptiMed will harbor motifs that bind to cell adhesion molecules on the surface of cancer cells and deliver an siRNA payload that silences the oncogene, EVI1. Initially, the NCL will assess the physical and chemical properties of the nanocomplexes followed by their purity and sterility in cell culture models. A second phase of testing for various modes of toxicity may be performed in animal models.
“We are profoundly pleased to work with the NCL to further our understanding of PeptiMed nanomaterials,” stated Scott Schneider, CEO and co-founder of PeptiMed. “We are indeed fortunate to be able to rely on the expertise of the professionals at the NCL to get one step closer to the clinic.”
PeptiMed co-founder Dr. Jeremy Heidel added, “The NCL has a strong track record in assisting biotech companies [as well as government and academic institutions] with evaluation and development of novel nanoparticle drug delivery systems. The comprehensive battery of measurements to be performed at the NCL will provide data and analytical methods that will help advance our nanoparticle technology toward the clinic.”
ABOUT PEPTIMED
The mission of PeptiMed is to discover and provide nucleotide-based therapies and delivery systems for nucleotide-based drugs with unprecedented potency in ameliorating late-stage cancer while avoiding debilitating side effects, thereby improving prognosis and quality of life for each patient. PeptiMed has patented the hELPTM nanoparticle delivery system for nucleotides. PeptiMed plans to begin first-in-human studies to determine maximum tolerated and efficacious doses of the EVIRNATM/hELPTM nanocomplex by the end of FY2015.