Cambridge, UK, 1st March 2017 / Sciad Newswire / Cypralis, a life sciences company focussed on the discovery of therapeutics for the modulation of peptidyl-prolyl isomerases (PPIases), has been awarded funding of $524,000 by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). The ADDF funding will augment the existing collaboration, facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, between Cypralis and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Janssen) which aims to develop new cyclophilin inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases.
Cyclophilin inhibitors on the market or in development are non-selective between the four commonly screened cyclophilin isoforms A, B, C and D. Cypralis and Janssen are currently undertaking a joint research programme to generate a new class of CNS penetrant, selective inhibitors of cyclophilin D applicable to targeting degenerative diseases including CNS degeneration. The ADDF funding will enable Cypralis to extend ‘hit-to-lead’ medicinal chemistry and broaden its library of novel brain-penetrant cyclophilin inhibitors, whilst continuing to participate in the joint research programme with Janssen.
Dr Michael Peel, CSO of Cypralis, commented: ‘The ADDF funding opens an exciting pathway towards developing a novel class of cyclophilin D inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Many previous publications have recognised the potential for cyclophilin D as a novel target for degenerative disease but no group has published on compounds which combine sub-type selectivity and brain penetration. If data from the ADDF funding is encouraging, Cypralis would expect to initiate a Lead Optimisation campaign in early 2018 with the goal of generating a novel pre-clinical candidate for this extremely challenging and devastating disease.’
Dr Howard Fillit, CSO of the ADDF, added: ‘With ADDF funding, Cypralis will use its extensive knowledge of cyclophilin inhibitors to explore their potential as a treatment for Alzheimer’s and other neurogenerative diseases. We are excited to support this first-in-class program.’
