PlaqueTec, a company identifying endotype-specific biomarkers to advance precision medicine for coronary artery disease (CAD) and the Welch research group at the Babraham Institute have completed a collaboration to evaluate lead compounds predicted to bind a pro-inflammatory protein discovered by PlaqueTec in pilot studies.
The project was funded by the UKRI-BBSRC Campus Innovation Award (CIA), via the Babraham Research Campus Collaboration Fund in October 2023.
Precision medicine for heart disease
PlaqueTec and the Welch research group, focused on research into cell signalling and led by Dr Heidi Welch, tested the pro-inflammatory protein in a human cell culture model, demonstrating its potential to be targeted by small molecule drugs—opening new opportunities for a precision medicine approach to heart disease.
The target is now being evaluated as part of PlaqueTec’s ongoing BIOPATTERN trial and, if validated, further development will be pursued.
Dr Simon Williams, General Manager, PlaqueTec, commented: “The successful completion of our latest collaboration with the Babraham Institute is an encouraging demonstration that new disease-specific targets identified by PlaqueTec have the potential to be modifiable by small molecule drugs. As we continue our BIOPATTERN trial, we are confident that our unique approach to endotyping CAD will pave the way for a new era of precision medicine for millions of patients with the disease.”