OKYO Pharma Announces Collaboration with Prof. Pedram Hamrah to Evaluate Proprietary Lead Compounds as Non-Opioid Analgesics ...
19 Agosto 2019 - 01:29PM
Business Wire
OKYO Pharma Limited (LSE: OKYO), a biotechnology company
developing targeted drugs for inflammatory dry eye diseases and
chronic pain, is pleased to announce a collaborative agreement with
Pedram Hamrah, MD, Ophthalmology Scientist and Cornea Specialist at
Tufts Medical Center, and Professor of Ophthalmology at Tufts
University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, to evaluate proprietary
lead compounds, targeting G-protein coupled receptors (“GPCRs”), as
non-opioid analgesics.
Based on our preclinical research, we have identified novel
Bovine Adrenal Medulla (“Bam8”) analogs that have potential to
ameliorate inflammation and neuropathic pain. The research
collaboration with Dr. Hamrah is focused on evaluation of our lead
compounds as non-opioid analgesics to suppress corneal neuropathic
pain using a mouse ocular pain model recently developed in Dr.
Hamrah’s laboratory at Tufts Medical Center, Boston. Dr. Hamrah is
a prominent key opinion leader in Ocular Immunology, Inflammation
and Ocular Pain. Recently, he was featured in The Wall Street
Journal article on ‘When Routine Eye Surgery Leads to Debilitating
Pain’ (
https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-routine-eye-surgery-leads-to-debilitating-pain-11562008367
). These collaborative studies will provide additional
‘Proof-of-Concept’ results for the Bam8 analogs as potential
non-opioid analgesics.
OKYO is focused on GPCR Technology Platform, a novel approach to
develop innovative therapies for inflammatory dry eye diseases and
chronic pain management. More than 40% of the drugs available in
the global market target GPCRs. Large market potential and growth
exists for GPCR targeted drugs for treating a wide variety of
indications such as inflammation, oncology, cardiovascular diseases
and inflammatory eye diseases including dry eye, uveitis and
allergic conjunctivitis.
In addition to non-opioid analgesics program, OKYO is also
pursuing development of Chemerin receptor agonist that targets
inflammatory pathways to treat dry eye syndrome, uveitis and
allergic conjunctivitis. Previously, OKYO presented preclinical
studies demonstrating anti-inflammatory activity of OKYO-0101, a
Chemerin receptor agonist, to suppress dry eye symptoms in a mouse
model and ocular safety in rabbits in a ‘Late Breaking Poster
Session’ at the 14th Congress on Ocular Pharmacology and
Therapeutics in New Orleans (March 2019)1.
IND-enabling studies for both, Chemerin and Bam8 are ongoing at
OKYO and we anticipate IND submission for Chemerin agonist for dry
eye indication by Q4 2020 and Bam8 for ocular pain indication by Q2
2021.
“Neuropathic corneal pain is a severe, chronic and debilitating
disease,” said Dr. Hamrah. “No commercially available treatments
are currently available for this condition, so we are excited about
this collaboration to test new compounds in our pre-clinical model
of this disease.”
“Non-opioid strategies for chronic pain are central to solve the
opioid public health crisis. We are thrilled to identify novel
non-opioid GPCR agonists as lead candidates for IND-enabling
studies, that have potential to ameliorate neuropathic pain” said
Dr. Raj Patil, Senior Director R&D, OKYO Pharma Limited.
Cited Reference
1. R. Patil, B. Harwood, A. Kopin, K. Shailubhai (2019)
OKYO-0101, an agonist of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR),
ameliorates inflammation in an experimental model of dry eye
disease in mice. 14th Congress on Ocular Pharmacology and
Therapeutics, New Orleans, LA
About OKYO
OKYO Pharma Limited (LSE: OKYO) is a life sciences and
biotechnology company admitted to listing on the standard segment
of the Official List of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and to
trading on the Main Market for listed securities of the London
Stock Exchange plc. OKYO is focusing on the discovery and
development of novel molecules to treat inflammatory dry eye
diseases and chronic pain.
Website: www.okyopharma.com
About Prof. Hamrah
Prof. Hamrah is a clinician/scientist and prominent KOL in the
field of dry eye disease, ocular pain, and ocular immunology. He
has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Senior
Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and
is a Gold Fellow at the Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology. Prof. Hamrah currently serves as the Associate
Editor for the journals ‘The Ocular Surface’, ‘Translational
Vision, Science & Technology’, and 'BMC Ophthalmology’ Section
Editor for 'Eye’, Assistant Editor for the journal 'Ocular
Immunology and Inflammation’ and is a member of several other
editorial boards. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles,
over 40 reviews and book chapters, and has given more than 100
lectures and presentations worldwide.
About non-opioid analgesics
Opioid therapy is the most common therapy in the management of
acute and chronic pain. However, opioid medications carry a risk of
abuse and addiction by either the patient or health professional.
Drug overdoses have become a leading cause of death in Americans
under 50, with a majority of those deaths from opioids use.
Therefore, consideration of non-opioid strategies for pain
management is highly beneficial to patients. Despite their
disadvantages, opioids are still the most prescribed drug for
chronic pain management. The use of non-opioid analgesics may cut
down the use of opioid.
About dry eye disease
Dry eye is a multifactorial disease caused by a chronic lack of
sufficient lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye and
is reaching epidemic proportions. Symptoms of dry eye include
constant discomfort and irritation accompanied by inflammation of
ocular surface, visual impairment, and potential damage to ocular
surface. Estimated prevalence of dry eye, which is frequently
under-recognised, ranges from about 5% to 35% in different age
groups, the most common being in adults over the age of 50. Thus,
dry eye syndrome is seen as a major burden in public
healthcare.
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Hana Malik hmalik@okyopharma.com
Barbara Zironi bzironi@okyopharma.com
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