Edinburgh, UK, 28th November 2017 / Sciad Newswire / Synpromics Ltd is pleased to announce a new collaboration with UCL to generate a range of synthetic gene promoters for the central nervous system (CNS), to develop a gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
The joint project will see the company develop novel gene promoters that specifically control the expression of therapeutic genes in different sub-populations of neurones. In the first instance, UCL will use these new gene switches to develop a gene therapy-based approach for the treatment of Young-Onset Parkinson’s disease.
Commenting on the collaboration, Dr Michael Roberts, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Synpromics stated: “Tightly controlling the therapeutic gene is an essential element in the development of any successful gene therapy and Synpromics’ technology offers the best means to achieve that control. This collaboration will allow the company to develop a gene therapy approach for a largely unmet clinical need, where tight gene control is an absolute requirement. It also gives us the opportunity to work with UCL, one of the few world-leading institutions actively developing novel gene-based therapies.”
The collaboration is expected to last over 24 months with work being split equally between the two partners.
“We are delighted to be working with the leaders in gene control, Synpromics Ltd, to develop gene therapy for Young-Onset Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is the second most common untreatable progressive brain disease and novel therapeutic approaches are required. This collaboration allows us to develop tailor-made gene therapy vectors for untreatable brain disorders,” said Dr Simon Waddington (UCL Institute for Women's Health).
Synpromics continues to drive forward with the development of its innovative approach to better control of gene function with this strategic move into CNS applications. This adds to the work already done in liver and muscle and the company’s proprietary inducible promoter platform. Synpromics works with leading clinicians focused on trying to develop cures for genetic diseases with significant unmet need, enabled by its innovative gene control technology, to improve human health.
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For further information, contact:
Deborah Cockerill / Emma Pickup
Sciad Communications Ltd
T: +44 (0)20 7470 8801
E: synpromics@sciad.com
Notes to Editors
About Synpromics
Synpromics is the leader in gene control, improving human health by enabling safer, more effective cell and gene medicines through proprietary genomics, bioinformatics and intelligent data-driven design. The company has developed PromPT®, its multi-dimensional bioinformatics database that enables product-specific promoter design and selection empowering the next generation of cell and gene based medicines and bioprocessing applications. The company operates in a diverse range of fields, including broad applications in cell and gene based medicine, biologics manufacturing and viral vector bioprocessing. Current partners include Adverum, uniQure, AGTC, GE Healthcare, Homology Medicines, Inc and Sartorius-Stedim Cellca as well as numerous undisclosed partners in the pharmaceutical sector.
About Synthetic Promoters
Promoters are the natural switches that control the expression of genes into proteins, and are responsible for decoding the genome. Naturally occurring promoters have evolved for biological functions but have limitations when utilised in industrial or therapeutic applications. Synthetic promoters with DNA sequences not found in nature are designed to better regulate gene activity and precisely control protein production. Synpromics creates highly specific promoters designed to drive gene expression at the desired level and specificity in any cell type, tissue or environmental condition. Each synthetic promoter represents a novel invention and thus can be patented. For more information visit www.synpromics.com
About UCL (University College London)
UCL was founded in 1826. We were the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 39,000 students from 150 countries and over 12,500 staff. Our annual income is more than £1 billion.
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