RCS - Poolbeg Pharma PLC - SAB Endorses Influenza Drug Targets

Poolbeg PharmaAnnouncement

26/10/2023 07:00

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RNS Number : 3160R  Poolbeg Pharma PLC  26 October 2023

Poolbeg Pharma plc

 

Scientific Advisory Board Endorses Influenza Drug Targets Identified in AI
Drug Discovery Programme

 

Consensus reached on prioritised novel drug targets to bring forward for
lab-based validation

 

26 October 2023 - (AIM: POLB, OTCQB: POLBF, 'Poolbeg' or the 'Company'), a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company targeting diseases with a high unmet
medical need, announces that its Scientific Advisory Board ('SAB') has
endorsed the influenza drug targets identified in its AI-led drug discovery
programme.

 

Key highlights

 

·      Prioritisation of influenza drug targets which have the highest
likelihood of success

·      New potential collaborative routes to maximise the impact of the
outputs identified

·      Ongoing discussions with prospective partners on these novel and
exciting targets discovered using AI

 

The SAB was presented with comprehensive data and information regarding the
large number of novel drug targets identified as part of the CytoReason
collaboration in June 2023, along with a proposed list of prioritised
candidates. Prioritisation was based on several key criteria and an evaluation
by both Poolbeg and CytoReason's teams of expert biologists and data
scientists to identify the top-ranking genes potentially suitable for the
treatment of influenza.

 

The members of the SAB considered the data and were impressed with the outputs
of the programme, a consensus was reached on the prioritised list of novel
drug targets to bring forward for lab-based validation, which is expected to
complete in 2024. They also provided valuable insight into how to most
effectively validate the targets in line with Poolbeg's model.

 

The global interest in AI-led drug discovery continues to grow, with Big
Pharma investing heavily in the space. This approach to drug discovery enables
identification of targets faster, at lower cost, with reduced risk, and a
higher likelihood of success. The Company continues to discuss the exciting
outputs from its AI-led drug discovery programmes with prospective partners.

 

Prof Luke O'Neill, SAB Chair and Professor of Biochemistry in the School of
Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute at Trinity
College Dublin said, "I am excited by the potential of these novel drug
targets generated in Poolbeg's AI-led drug discovery programme. Global focus
on AI-led drug discovery continues to grow and Poolbeg is leading the way due
to the uniqueness and the quality of the data incorporated into its programme
which has unveiled unparalleled insights into human disease."

 

Prof Brendan Buckley, SAB Member and Honorary Clinical Professor at University
College Cork and University College Dublin said: "Influenza is a disease which
affects millions each year and there remains a significant unmet need for
effective treatments. By targeting specific genes which are involved in
influenza disease progression and severity, this approach could transform the
treatment of this infectious disease for both seasonal and pandemic strains."

 

Jeremy Skillington, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Poolbeg Pharma, said: "The
endorsement of these prioritised targets generated from our AI-led drug
discovery programme by the Scientific Advisory Board validates our approach
and strategy going forward. We are committed to improving the world's access
to critically needed treatments, and we believe our use of such innovative
technology will play a pivotal role in advancing healthcare solutions."

 

- Ends -

 

Enquiries

 Poolbeg Pharma Plc                                                    +44 (0) 207 183 1499

 Jeremy Skillington, CEO

 Ian O'Connell, CFO

 Cavendish Capital Markets Ltd (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker)      +44 (0) 207 220 0500

 Geoff Nash, Charlie Beeson, Nigel Birks, Harriet Ward (ECM)

 Singer Capital Markets (Joint Broker)                                  +44 (0) 207 496 3000

 Phil Davies, Sam Butcher

 J&E Davy (Joint Broker)                                               +353 (0) 1 679 6363

 Anthony Farrell, Niall Gilchrist

 Optimum Strategic Communications                                      +44 (0) 208 078 4357

 Nick Bastin, Hana Malik, Vici Rabbetts                                poolbeg@optimumcomms.com (mailto:poolbeg@optimumcomms.com)

 

About Poolbeg Pharma

Poolbeg Pharma specialises in the development of innovative medicines to
address the unmet need in infectious and other prevalent diseases. Poolbeg
Pharma has a disciplined portfolio approach to mitigate risk, accelerate drug
development, and enhance investor returns. The Company simultaneously advances
multiple programmes in cost-effective clinical trials, rapidly generating
early human safety and efficacy data to enable early partnering /
out-licensing, with the funds generated reinvested in the pipeline. Poolbeg
Pharma also uses AI to interrogate human challenge trial data sets to quickly
identify new targets and drugs, leading to faster development and greater
commercial appeal.

 

The Company is targeting the growing infectious disease market. In the wake of
the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious disease has become one of the fastest
growing pharma markets and is expected to exceed $250bn by 2025. Through
opportunistic identification of assets which complement Poolbeg Pharma's
existing pipeline, the Company is progressing programmes in oncology and
metabolic syndromes; adding disease areas with significant addressable
markets.

 

With its initial assets from hVIVO plc (http://www.hvivo.com/) , an industry
leading infectious disease and human challenge trials business, Poolbeg Pharma
has access to knowledge, experience, and clinical data from over 20 years of
human challenge trials. The Company is using these insights to acquire new
assets as well as reposition clinical stage products, reducing spend and risk.
Amongst its portfolio of exciting assets, Poolbeg Pharma has a small molecule
immunomodulator for severe influenza and other acute inflammatory
conditions (POLB 001) which produces a highly significant reduction in p38
MAP kinase driven cytokines in a clinical setting; a first-in-class,
intranasally administered RNA-based immunotherapy for respiratory virus
infections (POLB 002); and a vaccine candidate for Melioidosis (POLB 003). The
Company is progressing two Artificial Intelligence (AI) Programmes to add
promising new assets to its pipeline as well as developing an Oral Vaccine
Programme and utilising its licensed Oral Delivery Platform to target
metabolic conditions.

 

For more information, please go to www.poolbegpharma.com
(http://www.poolbegpharma.com/)  or follow us on Twitter
(https://twitter.com/PoolbegPharma)  and LinkedIn
(https://www.linkedin.com/company/poolbeg-pharma/) @PoolbegPharma.

 

 

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