TIDMROQ
RNS Number : 4842I
Roquefort Therapeutics PLC
07 August 2023
7 August 2023
Roquefort Therapeutics plc
("Roquefort Therapeutics" or the "Company")
Development of New Novel siRNA Therapeutics
Portfolio and IP position enhanced with expansion of novel siRNA
medicines
Roquefort Therapeutics (LSE:ROQ, OTCQB:ROQAF), the Main Market
listed biotech company focused on developing first in class
medicines in the high value and high growth oncology market is
pleased to announce the successful development of new siRNA
sequences and new patent filing for its family of novel anti-cancer
siRNA therapeutics.
Following the Company's acquisition of Oncogeni Ltd in September
2022, where Roquefort Therapeutics acquired a portfolio of
pioneering pre-clinical siRNA anti-cancer medicines with
significant in vivo efficacy , the Company's drug discovery team,
led by Vice President of Drug Discovery, Professor Graham
Robertson, has recently developed four additional siRNA sequences
to complement the existing siRNA portfolio. The new siRNA sequences
expand the Company's portfolio of siRNA medicines that attack the
targets STAT-6 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription)
[1] and its SH2 (Src-homology-2) domain [2] .
The Company has recently completed a new patent filing to
strengthen its siRNA patent position to protect both the
composition of matter and methods of use.
siRNA therapeutics are an innovative new class of medicines
based on RNA interference (RNAi), which was recognized with the
2006 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology and pioneered by a
leading biotech company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:
ALNY) which recently completed a $2.8 billion partnership with
Roche (SWX: ROG) [3] .
The siRNA targets STAT-6 and SH2 were recently validated by
Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY) in a licensing transaction with Recludix that
included a US$125 million upfront payment and represented a total
deal value of up to US$1.2 billion [4] for a program in the
pre-clinical stage of development that targets the SH2 domain of
STAT6. Roquefort Therapeutic's siRNA programs are also in
pre-clinical development and target STAT-6 and the SH2 domain and
have shown significant in vivo anti-cancer activity (*p<0.05) in
validated models of colon cancer [5] .
The Company's siRNA sequences are being developed in combination
with nano-particle delivery systems to target the hard-to-treat,
high mortality solid cancers including colon and breast cancer with
results expected in Q4 2023.
Ajan Reginald, Chief Executive Officer of Roquefort
Therapeutics, said:
"We are encouraged by the recent commercial validations of both
siRNA as a therapeutic modality and STAT-6 and SH2 as highly
attractive medicinal targets. The recent multi-billion dollar
licensing deals indicate a high level of interest in this niche in
which we were early innovators and were able to acquire strong
patent positions before the market valued these asset classes. Our
siRNA programs target the very attractive SH2 domain and have
demonstrated highly specific efficacy in validated STAT-6 models.
The patents that we have recently filed consolidate our leadership
position in targeting STAT-6 and SH2 with siRNA.
In parallel to our R&D activities, our business development
remains active in what is becoming an attractive market with
current deal volumes 150% higher than in Q2 2022 [6] and M&A
transactions forecast to exceed the levels seen in 2022 [7] . This
market is reportedly driven by Big Pharma's requirement for new
products to replace the lost revenues expected as a result of the
"$200B patent cliff": $200 billion in annual pharma revenue at risk
through 2030 due to patent expirations [8] .
In this market, newly validated targets like STAT-6 and novel
modalities like siRNA are garnering high deal values because they
offer the potential to create first-in-class medicines which have a
greater likelihood of generating blockbuster (multi-billion dollar)
revenues [9] . Our strategy fits this paradigm, whereby we create
significant value by discovering these first-in-class medicines
before the market recognises them and enhancing their value with
targeted R&D to optimise the appeal to Big Pharma.
Our portfolio of five potential first-in-class medicines
includes newly validated targets (STAT-6 and Midkine) and novel
modalities (siRNA, mRNA and cell therapy) and so, we are well
positioned to create significant shareholder value in this market
and will continue delivering the R&D results that Big Pharma
are looking for."
-Ends-
Enquiries:
Roquefort Therapeutics plc
Stephen West (Chairman) / Ajan +44 (0)20 3918
Reginald (CEO) 8633
Hybridan LLP (Joint Broker)
Claire Louise Noyce
Optiva Securities Limited (Joint +44 (0)203 764
Broker) 2341
+44 (0)20 3411
Christian Dennis 1881
Buchanan (Public Relations)
Ben Romney / Jamie Hooper / George +44 (0)20 7466
Beale 5000
LEI: 254900P4SISIWOR9RH34
About Roquefort Therapeutics
Roquefort Therapeutics (LSE:ROQ, OTCQB:ROQAF) is a Main Market
listed biotech company developing first in class drugs in the high
value and high growth oncology segment prior to partnering or
selling to big pharma.
Since listing in March 2021, Roquefort Therapeutics has
successfully acquired Lyramid Pty Limited, a leader in the
development of medicines for a new therapeutic target, Midkine (a
human growth factor associated with cancer progression), and most
recently acquired Oncogeni Ltd, founded by Nobel Laureate Professor
Sir Martin Evans, which has developed two families of innovative
cell and RNA oncology medicines.
Roquefort Therapeutics' portfolio consists of five fully funded,
novel patent-protected pre-clinical anti-cancer medicines. The
highly complementary profile of four best-in-class medicines
consists of:
-- Midkine antibodies with significant in vivo efficacy and toxicology studies;
-- Midkine RNA therapeutics with novel anti-cancer gene editing action;
-- Midkine mRNA therapeutics with novel anti-cancer approach
-- STAT-6 siRNA therapeutics targeting solid tumours with significant in vivo efficacy; and
-- MK cell therapy with direct and NK-mediated anti-cancer action.
For further information on Roquefort Therapeutics, please visit
www.roquefortplc.com and @RoquefortTherap on Twitter.
[1] Delgado-Ramirez Y, Colly V, Gonzalez GV, Leon-Cabrera S.
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 as a target in
colon cancer therapy. Oncol Lett. 2020 Jul;20(1):455-464. doi:
10.3892/ol.2020.11614. Epub 2020 May 13. PMID: 32565970; PMCID:
PMC7285805
[2] Morlacchi P, Robertson FM, Klostergaard J, McMurray JS.
Targeting SH2 domains in breast cancer. Future Med Chem.
2014;6(17):1909-26. doi: 10.4155/fmc.14.120. PMID: 25495984; PMCID:
PMC4339284
[3]
https://www.biopharma-reporter.com/Article/2023/07/27/alnylam-partners-with-roche-to-develop-rnai-therapeutic-for-hypertension
[4]
https://www.biocentury.com/article/648645/july-20-quick-takes-via-its-second-preclinical-deal-this-week-sanofi-gains-recludix-s-oral-stat6-inhibitor
[5]
https://www.roquefortplc.com/sites/default/files/content-files/ROQ-Acquisition-of-Oncogeni_June2022-FINAL-1.pdf
[6]
https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/dashboards/deals-dashboards/global-ma-activity-pharmaceutical-industry/::text=In%20the%20global%20pharmaceutical%20industry,
the%20industry's%20largest%20disclosed%20deal.
[7]
https://www.ft.com/content/e03d746c-e74c-4e95-8d12-d1edef2880d7
[8]
https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/pharma-patent-cliff-biologic-drugs-humira-keytruda/642660/
[9] Spring et al., Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 22, 531-532
(2023)
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