London UK, 17th July 2017: Vasgen Limited (“Vasgen” or “the Company”), a new speciality biotech company, reports that it has successfully completed proof of concept studies for its pre-clinical ocular programme targeting ADAM15 as a potential novel therapy for exudative or “wet” age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The studies demonstrated that antibodies selective for the catalytic cleft of ADAM15, generated by the company’s proprietary AbIMP® platform, were substantially superior to a standard of care anti-VEGF reagent in regressing neovascular lesions in side by side analysis in an industry-standard model of choroidal neovascularisation. Choroidal neovascularisation in patients with AMD is an advanced complication of the disease that is associated with the rapid onset of vision deterioration. Current anti-VEGF therapies stabilise vision decline and can improve vision in around 30% of patients.
The company also received notices of allowance for two distinct patent applications covering its ADAM15 targeting technologies and its AbIMP® antibody platform from the European Patent Organisation and United States Patent &Trademark Office respectively.
Dr Salman Rahman, CEO and co-founder of Vasgen said: “We are excited by the compelling data coming out of our ocular programme targeting ADAM15 for the potential treatment of wet AMD and are keen to progress this research towards the clinic. The news of the allowance of two further patents underscores the novelty of our technology and therapeutic programmes in ophthalmology and oncology which we hope to expand upon in the near future.”
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Notes to Editors:
Vasgen Ltd
Vasgen Limited is a new London-based biotech company developing innovative ocular and cancer therapeutics to meet unmet clinical needs.
The Company’s technologies include AbIMP®, a novel antibody-based approach allowing development of highly selective inhibitors of metzincin metalloproteinases with a particular focus on the ADAMs gene family of sheddases. The Company’s lead product under development is a pre-clinical stage therapeutic AbIMP targeting ADAM15 for anti-angiogenesis therapy. More information is available at www.vasgen.co.uk
For further information please contact:
Tel : +44 (0)207 691 2149
About Age-related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of sight loss in the developed world. In the UK more than 600,000 people are affected by AMD. The disease progresses into either “dry” or “wet” complications, the latter involving the development of neovascular lesions derived from the choroidal circulation which leak causing the accumulation of fluid beneath the central region of the retina (macula) leading to vision deterioration.
European Patent Organisation
The European Patent Organisation is a cross EU state office that engages in the search and examination of patent applications and the grant of European patents.
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the U.S. Government’s agency that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification. The USPTO, based in Alexandria, Virginia, cooperates with the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) as one of the Trilateral Patent Offices.