Oxford Drug Design Validates Novel Oncology Therapeutic Mechanism

Oxford Drug Design, an AI-driven drug discovery company, has achieved successful in vivo validation of its novel oncology therapeutic mechanism targeting multiple tumors. This advancement marks the company's second first-in-class therapeutic program to reach this stage of development.

The validation was confirmed through a 28-day mouse trial that demonstrated both clear efficacy and dose response. The company's approach leverages a novel target, leucyl-tRNA synthetase, a member of the tRNA synthetase enzyme family, to which Oxford Drug Design has applied its specialized expertise. The promising results highlight the potential of the company’s proprietary molecules to modulate tRNA synthetase functions, introducing a new method for cancer treatment.

These lead candidates are part of Oxford Drug Design's portfolio of novel chemical scaffolds, which exhibit broad activity against the non-canonical functions of the enzyme class. The company's progress is underpinned by its distinctive dual-competence discovery platform, which combines advanced generative AI capabilities with deep expertise in tRNA synthetase, including proprietary structural biology techniques.

Dr. Paul Finn, CSO of Oxford Drug Design, emphasized the significance of these developments:

“Our integrated expertise in generative AI and tRNA-synthetase drug discovery continues to yield breakthrough lead series efficiently and effectively. The progress in our oncology program exemplifies our rapid advancements as we aim to bring this potentially superior first-in-class treatment into clinical stages.”

Coinciding with these experimental achievements, Oxford Drug Design has announced the appointment of Professor Sarah Blagden to its Scientific Advisory Board. Prof. Blagden is a clinician-scientist and Professor of Experimental Oncology at the University of Oxford. With over two decades of experience in clinical cancer drug development, she directs Oxford’s Oncology Cancer Trials Office (OCTO) and has been instrumental in the establishment of the UK’s first dedicated center for Precision-Prevention and Early Detection trials under the Cancer Research UK network.

See also: The Promise of Next-Generation Proteomics in Revolutionizing Cancer Research and Treatment

Prof. Blagden's extensive background includes significant contributions to approximately 100 peer-reviewed publications, focusing on trial methodologies and post-transcriptional gene dysregulation in cancer. She has a distinguished academic history, holding a BSc in pharmacology and a medical degree from the University of London, a PhD from the University of Cambridge, and fellowship status at the Royal College of Physicians. Additionally, she is the founder of RNA Guardian Ltd, a biomarker discovery company.

Topics: Novel Therapeutics