TIDMROQ
RNS Number : 9900L
Roquefort Therapeutics PLC
09 January 2023
9 January 2023
Roquefort Therapeutics plc
("Roquefort Therapeutics" or the "Company")
Operational Update
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 provide an update on progress on its pre-clinical drug
development programs, the hiring of a senior expert cancer research
scientist and out-licencing discussions.
Pre-Clinical Drug Development Programs
During the final quarter of 2022, the Company continued to
progress its four fully funded, novel patent-protected pre-clinical
anti-cancer medicines through a combination of partnerships with
leading academic cancer research centres and at the Company's state
of the art laboratory in Stratford-upon-Avon.
With the programs focused on the pre-clinical development of the
Midkine antibodies, Midkine RNA and STAT-6 siRNA, the Company has
recently signed partnership agreements and commenced pre-clinical
development programs with the following leading academic cancer
research centres:
-- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University, Melbourne
o Breast cancer metastasis antibody programs
-- Lowy Cancer Research Centre, University of New South Wales
o Liver and Colorectal cancer Midkine RNA and STAT-6 siRNA
programs
-- Hawkins Laboratory Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe University, Melbourne
o Lung cancer metastasis antibody programs
-- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney
o Midkine RNA programs
With the MK cell therapy development program the Company is
utilising its state of the art laboratory in Stratford-upon-Avon to
develop the program in-house. The laboratory includes a clean room,
laminar flow cabinets and cryopreservation infrastructure required
for pre-clinical development of innovative new medicines,
particularly cell and gene therapies. The laboratory is staffed by
a team led by newly appointed Dr Emma Morris and six laboratory
scientists.
Senior Scientific Appointment
Dr Emma Morris has been appointed as Head of Pre-clinical
Research. Dr Morris' previous experience includes Operational
Scientific Director at the UK Health Security Rosalind Franklin
Laboratory and Senior Researcher in Cancer research at the
University of Oxford. Dr Morris is a graduate of the University of
Oxford with a DPhil in Molecular Biology from the Ludwig Institute
for Cancer Research .
Out-Licencing Discussions
In line with the Company's strategy, Roquefort Therapeutics has
initiated out-licensing discussions with multiple large
biopharmaceutical companies. These licencing discussions are
focused on partnerships for:
1. the Company's core cancer therapeutic programs: Midkine
antibodies, Midkine RNA therapeutics, STAT-6 siRNA therapeutics and
MK cell therapy; and
2. non-core applications such as diagnostics, biomarker
detection and therapy areas outside of cancer.
The Company will update the market on the progress of
out-licencing discussions as they progress.
Ajan Reginald, Chief Executive Officer of Roquefort
Therapeutics, said:
"During a busy final quarter of 2022, we completed the
integration of the Oncogeni portfolio, welcomed Dr Morris to the
team as Head of Pre-clinical Research and enhanced our network of
partnerships with leading academic cancer research centres. These
partners complement our own world-class in-house expertise and
laboratory infrastructure and enable us to implement a broader and
more effective development strategy. This distributed R&D model
is highly scalable and cost effective.
"In parallel, we accelerated our business development activities
by meeting a number of the leading large pharmaceutical companies
to introduce the Company and present our programs. This has enabled
us to accelerate our out-licensing strategy in both core and
non-core applications. We start 2023 with significant momentum and
look forward to updating the market on our progress in due
course."
-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 four 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;
-- 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.
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