This new partnership further expands Synpromics’ activities in the cell and gene therapy sector, as it builds on its strategy of establishing partnerships with leading academics in the UK to integrate its technology into the next generation of gene-based medicines.
This research and development agreement with Professor Adrian Thrasher’s clinical research group at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, will develop synthetic tissue-specific promoters for use in the specialised cells of the immune system including lymphoid, myeloid and microglia cells.
The objective of this work is to develop synthetic promoters that can be directly applied to gene-modified cell therapy, particularly where cells such as microglia or other myeloid cells can be used to deliver a therapeutic protein to the target pathologic sites. Similarly, output from the collaboration also has direct applications to further improve CAR-T therapy.
Dr Michael Roberts, founder and CSO of Synpromics, said: “We are tremendously excited to be working with Adrian Thrasher and Dr Giorgia Santilli from UCL. Our technology is particularly suitable for developing gene and cell therapies for blood-based disorders.”
“We are able to design promoters that are active in any cellular lineage of the haematopoietic system by leveraging the subtle changes in transcription profiles that are evident in the different cell populations present in the blood. By embarking on this collaboration, we aim to develop a portfolio of promoters that have broad applications in multiple disease indications.”
The company is expanding its commercial activities in the gene therapy sector by seeding the development of new candidate gene therapies for the treatment of numerous pathologies, where tight and effective regulation of gene expression is key to the success of the therapy. This collaboration heralds an important landmark in that development programme.
Professor Adrian Thrasher, said: “Developing tools for gene therapy of devastating rare disease is our core business. We are therefore really delighted to enter this scientific collaboration with Synpromics in order to maximise the breadth and efficacy of our therapies.”