Argenta offers oncology licensing opportunity

UK company Argenta Discovery is promoting its oncology project for licensing on a worldwide basis.

Argenta's most advanced internal therapeutic project, the company's scientists have been working for three years to design and synthesise selective, potent, low nanomolar histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Compounds exhibit oral bioavailability and demonstrate significant efficacy in xenograft models of cancer.

Argenta has already filed three patents on its hydroxamic acid lead series, the first of which was pub-lished in February this year. The HDAC inhibitor package also includes a non-hydroxamic acid back-up series.

'We are pleased to be able to offer our HDAC inhibitor project for licensing to the pharmaceutical community,' said Dr Anthony Baxter, Argenta's ceo. 'Taking the oncology project from a hit finding stage to an advanced preclinical development stage in such a competitive timeframe is testimony to Argenta's capability and experience in drug discovery.'