A major limitation to the use of chemotherapy in cancer treatment arises from the lack of tumour specificity shown by most anti-cancer drugs. Many clinically used drugs act predominantly through an antiproliferative mechanism which leads to damage of normally proliferating cells such as those of the bone marrow and gastro intestinal tract. Chemotherapy is often linked to severe side effects due to the destruction of healthy tissue.
The company has two major projects (P061 and P062) which address this issue. The former project utilises Spirogen's potent proprietary DNA interactive molecules and a targeting antibody to deliver the inactive construct to the (tumour) site of action where cleavage occurs releasing the active moiety.
The second project is the development of pro-drugs for use in ADEPT (antibody Directed Enzyme Pro-drug Therapies) and GDEPT (Gene Directed Enzyme Pro-drug Therapies). These pro-drugs have been rendered inactive by having therapeutically cleavable protecting groups that block interaction with DNA. When protecting groups are removed at the tumour site, again, the active agent is released.
Both P061 and P062 are in intensive programmes to confirm Proof of concept with potential candidates with a range of characteristics prior to progression to lead optimisation.
