| Project Title | Neogalfarm |
| Year Start | 2016 |
| Year End | 2018 |
| Consortium members |
Galchimia
AMSLAB Oncostellae plus several research groups from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) The Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS) LEITAT |
| Description | Nuevos fármacos contra el cáncer: Desarrollo de terapias dirigidas a dirferentes dianas terapéuticas y de tratamientos combinados (NEOGALFARM) aim is to find new treatments for cancer with the development of therapies aimed at different therapeutic targets and combined treatments. |
| Core Technology | Atomic Quantum Clusters |
| Industry of application | Healthcare & Therapeutics |
| Call | Conecta Peme |
| Funding info | This Project was granted by the Agencia Gallega de Innovación (GAIN) through the Conecta Peme Program, co-financied by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and supported by the Consellería de Economía, Emprego e Industria (Xunta de Galicia). The total budget was fixed at 1,076,339.63 euros. |
| Objectives | Search for new drugs for cancer treatment through the development of therapies aimed at different therapeutic targets and combined treatments: Develop new androgen receptor antagonists that are effective in animal models of prostate cancer and nominate a preclinical candidate. To develop new modulators of protein-protein interactions of the Bcl-2 family that are effective in animal models of cancer. Discover new inhibitors of the ALK5 kinase (Activin receptor-Like Kinase) and the TGF-beta signaling pathway that are effective in animal models of cancer. Discover new inhibitors of JAK kinase (Janus Kinase) that are effective in animal models of myeloproliferative, hematological or solid tumor diseases. Development of new types of nanomaterials that have anti-tumor activity with low toxicity and / or that enhance the action of anti-tumor drugs directed against DNA. Study the synergy of these different mechanisms of action to treat various types of cancers in vitro and in vivo. Develop highly selective and sensitive analysis methods based on mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography, which allow to measure the concentrations of chemical compounds developed and their metabolites in both plasma and tumors. In addition, biomarkers will be identified applying proteomics techniques and tools based on high resolution mass spectrometry. |
| Results | Potent and patentable inhibitors of ALK5 have been identified. The pharmacokinetic properties of the best inhibitors identified in ALK5 have been characterized. A series of GI-restricted inhibitors of JAK3 / TYK2 has been developed and patented for the IBD-fibrosis-colon cancer axis, which are active in the murine model of colitis and do not present high-dose toxicity. These products are about to start the first clinical study at Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona. A series of systemic JAK3 / TYK2 inhibitors for psoriasis has been developed and patented. These products are powerful and selective, and their properties make them especially interesting for oral and topical treatment. A series of AR + GR antagonists for prostate cancer has been developed and patented that could potentiate the current treatments with enzalutamide. Non-steroidal GR antagonists have been identified as activators of the immune system with potential for the treatment of colon cancer. A potential synergy of the ALK5 inhibitors discovered by GalChimia with JAK antagonists discovered by Oncostellae has been identified. An effective method for the synthesis of AQCs of different sizes has been successfully developed. It has been found that smaller AQCs increase the accessibility of chromatin in proliferating cells, enhancing the effect of drugs whose target is DNA, so they could improve the effectiveness of current treatments. It has been proven that the larger AQCs have the ability to cross the blood brain barrier to reach and reduce metastases, constituting an innovative tool to solve two of the main problems in the treatment of cancer. Highly selective and sensitive analysis methods based on HPLC-MS have been developed to measure the concentrations of chemical compounds developed and their metabolites, both in plasma and in tumor. Biomarkers have been identified applying proteomics techniques and tools based on high resolution mass spectrometry |
