Development of mechanism based, novel anti-inflammatory compounds

Avexxin AS (founded in Trondheim march 2005) introduces a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of chronic diseases including psoriasis based on more than a decade of research at Prof. Berit Johansen?s group at the Norwegian University of Science a nd Technology. The new compound interferes, like current known biologic treatments, with the pro-inflammatory process, but targets a novel, more specific intervention point and is therefore expected to have a much better safety/efficacy-profile. Besides t his, the therapeutic agent is a small chemical molecule and production costs are only within percentage range compared to those of current biologics. One of these chemical entities, the lead compound or (No AKH-217), has shown to represent a unique and no vel approach to the treatment of psoriasis. Similar compounds are synthesized based on the obtained insight into the biology, look to be promising candidates for the efficient treatment of other inflammatory diseases. Subgoal a) defines testing of these in in vitro enzyme assays by the identified disease target and development of a cellular model system for a new disease indicating, rheumatoid arthritis. Lead compound will undergo preclinical and clinical trials as a topical agent for treatment of psoria sis in subgoals b) and c), respectively. Avexxin AS has already raised almost 400KEURO of governmental funding within the last one and a half year, that is sufficient to finalize all drug discovery and formulation work and produce batches for clinical stu dies. Besides this the planned pre-clinical and initial clinical testing is already designed together with CRO's. Avexxin intends to start pre-clinical beginning of next year and is currently looking for first round of investment in order to perform this. In order to be able to pursue an RnD activity and to increase attractiveness of Avexxin in the VC community, partial funding from NFR is highly advantageous. -- The nature of the work to be done under the contract with NFR is basically still the same. O nly, instead of moving from the preclinical stage to clinical trial stage, Avexxin will have to redo the formulation together with external experts. Secondly, Avexxin will seek to partner up its compound once stability is achieved, with a pharmaceutical entity in order to move the compound into clinical trial through the big partner. This course is taken as Avexxin believes it will make the project more expedient during the next phase as the project will then enjoy the resourses of a big partner. Accord ingly, the target is to complete this revised contract with NFR end 2009, and then apply only commercial funding for the next stage of development with a partner.