Two years after securing strategic investment from Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck, a biopharma startup is collaborating with the company on a drug delivery platform for pain relief and central nervous system disorders. Ossianix’s single domain antibody platform takes its inspiration from a shark model.
The first project will advance its antibody platform to treat pain, which is modeled on the shark variable new antigen receptor structure. Among the desirable qualities of the shark model are the antibodies’ unique mechanism of binding to proteins with a high affinity and their ability to interact with two or three proteins at the same time.
The second project uses Ossianix’s Blood Brain Barrier targeting technology for the development of bispecific biopharmaceuticals to treat CNS disorders. The company’s platform is designed to improve bioavailability compared with current antibodies, according to a company statement.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Ossianix CEO Frank Walsh told MedCity News that it expected to advance its pain treatment through the proof-of-concept stage this year. Lundbeck is funding the research plan with development and regulatory milestones, the statement said.
Sharks have been a growing source of life science innovation. Last year, cancer research charity Association for International Cancer Research awarded a grant to researchers to investigate the use of an antibody found in shark’s blood to combat breast cancer. Sharklet is developing a synthetic surface to mimic the bacterial-resistant properties of shark skin for medical devices and hospitals.
