A prospective drug discovery company at the University of Strathclyde has received a share of £3 million funding from a collaborative cystic fibrosis drug discovery programme.
Rostra Therapeutics has been awarded the funding from the programme announced by the Cystic Fibrosis Antimicrobial Resistance (CF AMR) Syndicate.
The collaboration between Rostra and the CF AMR Syndicate will work to identify new compounds with the potential to treat lung fungal infections in patients with cystic fibrosis, including those that are resistant to other antifungal drugs.
Rostra Therapeutics aims to develop a novel molecular platform technology into medicines for treating serious infectious diseases, and to help address the global threat of AMR. The technology platform, Strathclyde Minor Groove Binders (S-MGBs), has been developed at Strathclyde and has shown high activity against fungi including all those highlighted as 'critical' in the WHO Fungal Priority Pathogen List.
The company has received an initial grant of £75,252 from the CF AMR Syndicate, which brings together leading experts in CF and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) from industry, academia and the clinic, along with insights from people living with CF, to accelerate the discovery and development of new and effective treatment options for people with CF.
The CF AMR Syndicate is jointly managed by Medicines Discovery Catapult, Cystic Fibrosis Trust and LifeArc.
Cystic fibrosis affects more than 162,000 people globally and more than 11,300 in the UK. People with CF are affected by life-threatening lung infections that can permanently change lung function and reduce their quality of life. Growing resistance to antimicrobials and a lack of effective treatments mean that there continues to be an urgent need to identify new therapies.
Professor Colin Suckling, Chief Scientific Officer of Rostra Therapeutics and Chemistry Research Professor at Strathclyde, said: "We are delighted to be working with the scientific and clinical experts at the CF AMR Syndicate to develop our novel approach to treating life-threatening fungal lung diseases in patients living with CF.
“The funding will help to identify molecules that have the potential to be developed into medicines to treat patients living with CF, including those with infections caused by antimicrobial resistant pathogens."
Dr Catherine Kettleborough, Head of Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge at LifeArc, said: "Collaboration is essential to unlocking new avenues in drug discovery, especially in areas like cystic fibrosis where antimicrobial resistance poses such significant challenges. Funding research through the CF AMR Syndicate will play a crucial role in catalysing scientific progress, and we're thrilled to support Rostra Therapeutics in their work."
Dr Paula Sommer, Head of Research at Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: “Lung infections are hard to treat due to antimicrobial resistance, which is why we’re delighted to see the CF AMR Syndicate support these projects that will develop new antimicrobial treatments for CF.”
Dr Beverley Isherwood, Strategy Leader, Infectious Diseases at Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: “We are delighted to be working with innovative companies like Rostra Therapeutics to accelerate vital research and find new treatments for people with CF. By supporting awardees through the early development phases to generate essential data packages, the CF AMR Syndicate’s CDP will position these projects to attract onward funding and investment for further development.”