Cambridge, UK – 20th February 2018: Exonate an early stage biotechnology company, today announces that its principal scientist Dr Jennifer Batson will present at The Bermuda Principles Impact on Splicing 2nd Annual conference 2018, 21st– 25th February 2018.
During session 13 ‘Commercialisation of University Research’, Dr Batson will present ‘Developing inhibitors of VEGF-A alternative splicing into a clinical candidate to deliver a paradigm shift in the treatment of retinal vascular diseases’. The presentation will take place on Saturday 24th February 2018 at 16.00 and will be followed by a roundtable discussion at 16.40.
Dr Batson’s presentation will focus on Exonate’s mission to introduce a revolutionary, game changing eye drop for the treatment of retinal vascular diseases including wet AMD and diabetic macular oedema (DME). Exonate has developed small molecules that inhibit production of pro-angiogenic VEGF through selective inhibition of serine/threonine-protein kinase (SRPK1) – mediated VEGF splicing. Already, these inhibitors have demonstrated superior efficacy as topical agents in preclinical models of wAMD. Dr Batson will discuss the journey from basic understanding of VEGF-A splicing mechanisms to candidate therapeutic nomination.
The inaugural BPIS Conference took place in February 2017 and is now an annual fixture on the scientific calendar. This year the conference will feature Keynote Lecture by Professor Adrian Krainer. Dr Batson is one of six keynote speakers representing a wealth of countries including Italy, Scotland, England and the USA. For further information on the meeting and to view the full programme please visit the Bermuda Principles Website. https://www.bermudaprinciples.org/
Contacts
Exonate Limited
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 437042
Louise Shave, Marketing
louise.shave@exonate.com
FTI Consulting
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3727 1000
Mo Noonan / Lucy McKeone
About Exonate
Exonate is a privately held, early stage, biotech company spun out of the University of Nottingham that is focused on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in areas of unmet need, such as ophthalmology, pain, nephropathy and cancer. Exonate’s lead programme is focused on Diabetic macular oedema (DME). A consequence of diabetic retinopathy, DME is swelling in an area of the retina called the macula and wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD), which is the leading cause of vision loss in people aged 60 and older. The Company is founded on scientific excellence with strong links to Professor David Bates and his lab at Nottingham University specialising in the biology and biochemical pathways of VEGF splice variants.
Exonate have developed small molecules that inhibit production of pro-angiogenic VEGF through selective inhibition of serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (SRPK1)-mediated VEGF splicing. These inhibitors have already demonstrated superior efficacy as topical agents in preclinical models of wet AMD. Through a Wellcome Trust funded project, Exonate will complete an optimisation programme to nominate a pre-clinical candidate drug with optimal characteristics ahead of regulatory toxicology and safety pharmacology studies which will support an application to the regulatory authorities for clinical evaluation. Exonate expects to reach this milestone and enter the clinic in early 2020.
Exonate is led by an experienced, international management team that has previously worked together with cross-disciplinary experience in medicine and drug development, as well as successful fundraising for early stage companies.
About Diabetic macular oedema (DME)*
DME is the build-up of fluid (oedema) in a region of the retina called the macula. The macula is important for the sharp, straight-ahead vision that is used for reading, recognising faces, and driving. DME is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetic retinopathy. About half of all people with diabetic retinopathy will develop DME and although it is more likely to occur as diabetic retinopathy worsens, DME can happen at any stage of the disease.
About wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD)
Today, wAMD is a leading cause of vision loss in people aged 60 years or older and affects more than 30 million patients worldwide, over 200,000 of those in the UK alone. If untreated patients are likely to lose sight in the affected eye within 24 months of disease onset.
The current standard-of-care treatment options for DME and wAMD are
Anti-VEGF antibody drugs – to prevent the growth of new blood vessels in the Unlike small molecule drugs or eye drops, these treatments must be injected into the eye once every 1-2 months. Resistance can develop to these drugs causing the disease to progress anew.
Laser surgery – to destroy abnormal blood vessels in the eye. This type of surgery is only suitable if blood vessel damage is not too extensive and if the abnormal blood vessels aren’t close to the fovea, as performing surgery close to this part of the eye can cause permanent vision.
With DME, Corticosteroids either injected or implanted into the eye, may be used alone or in combination with other drugs or laser surgery to treat DME