Beactica glioblastoma research with Uppsala Uni and SciLifeLab

Published: 18-May-2017

Goal of the collaboration to evaluate the pre-clinical efficacy of allosteric modulators of epigenetic protein LSD1

Beactica, the Swedish drug discovery company, has begun a research collaboration with Uppsala University and the Drug Discovery and Development Platform at SciLifeLab to study the effects on brain cancer stem cells of specific small molecules under development by Beactica.

The goal of the collaboration is to evaluate and characterise the pre-clinical efficacy of Beactica’s allosteric modulators of the epigenetic protein LSD1 in glioma-inducing cells.

The collaboration will also evaluate Beactica’s compounds in combination with multiple other anti-cancer agents.

Bengt Westermark and Anna Segerman at Uppsala University’s Faculty of Medicine, have developed a unique capability to study glioma-initiating stem cells.

These studies will provide important insights into our compounds’ ability to show efficacy in a cancer with extremely poor prognosis.”

Their cell clones are established from fresh biopsies and characterised with regards to genotype, phenotype and treatment response including standard treatment of care for glioblastoma.

The methodology and background research is described in the high-impact journal Cell Reports. The Beactica study will be performed at the In Vitro and Systems Pharmacology Facility of SciLifeLab Drug Discovery and Development Platform.

“Early results from the collaboration indicate a potential to enhance the effect of established treatment in glioblastoma cells,” said Segerman, Lead Researcher at the glioma clone platform.

Per Kallblad, CEO of Beactica, said: “These studies will provide important insights into our compounds’ ability to show efficacy in a cancer with extremely poor prognosis. We want to stake out a path for a first-in-class therapeutic that will benefit patients.”

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