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ARTICLE | Company News

Medical Research Council pharmaceuticals news

November 12, 2012 8:00 AM UTC

The U.K.'s three-year, £180 million ($285.8 million) Biomedical Catalyst fund awarded £39 million ($62.4 million) across 10 universities and 22 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) for early stage life science research. Companies receiving funding include dermatology and inflammation company Creabilis S.A. (Luxembourg, Luxembourg); cancer company Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:CYCC, Berkeley Heights, N.J.); drug delivery company Glide Pharma Technologies Ltd. (Abingdon, U.K.); medical imaging company Ixico Ltd. (London, U.K.); ophthalmic company KalVista Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Southampton, U.K.); and cancer company PsiOxus Therapeutics Ltd. (Abingdon, U.K.).

Specifically, Creabilis will use the funding to support a Phase IIb trial of its CT327, a topical neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 1 ( NTRK1; TrkA) inhibitor, to treat atopic dermatitis. Cyclacel plans to complete IND-directed preclinical development of cancer candidate CYC065, an orally available, second-generation inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) 2E, 2A, 7 and 9. Glide will use its award to develop Glide SDI teriparatide - solid dose teriparatide administered with Glide Pharma's needle-free delivery system - to treat osteoporosis. Ixico is developing a national digital healthcare platform for the early diagnosis of dementia. KalVista will complete preclinical development of its oral plasma kallikrein inhibitors and prepare a candidate for Phase I testing to treat diabetic macular edema (DME). PsiOxus plans to use its funding to begin a Phase I/II trial next year of its ColoAd1 oncolytic vaccine, a hybrid of adenoviruses Adp3 and Ad11p, to treat platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer. ...