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Noxopharm's Veyonda® may offer other therapeutic opportunities in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases

Last updated: 16:25 23 Aug 2021 AEST, First published: 16:10 23 Aug 2021 AEST

Noxopharm Ltd - Noxopharm's Veyonda may offer other therapeutic opportunities in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases
TBK1 also is the subject of considerable big pharma attention because of its potential involvement in autoimmune diseases.

Noxopharm Ltd (ASX:NOX) has discovered Veyonda®'s active ingredient idronoxil has an anti-inflammatory mechanism of action that provides a major opportunity to develop TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) inhibitors for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. 

The discovery further reinforces the relevance of Veyonda as a preventive treatment for cytokine storms driven by RNA virus infections, including COVID-19, and makes Veyonda the first TBK1 inhibitor to be tested in the clinic. 

TBK1 adds a high-profile and potentially high-value drug target for the company’s subsidiary Pharmorage’s emerging pipeline. 

Applications in other diseases

Its partnership with Hudson Institute of Medical Research has also led to the important discovery about the anti-inflammatory mechanism of action of idronoxil - TBK1, as the molecular target of idronoxil in terms of its anti-inflammatory properties.

The discovery is not yet peer-reviewed in a scientific publication but submission is anticipated in two months.

TBK1 has been proposed as a potential drug target in blocking COVID-19 disease progression, including the development of long-lasting COVID-19 symptoms.

However, beyond COVID-19, TBK1 also is the subject of considerable big pharma attention because of its potential involvement in autoimmune diseases

The discovery also flags two other opportunities:

➢ A potential use in blocking inappropriate inflammation to respiratory RNA viruses other than coronaviruses, including influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus; and

➢ The creation of potential new therapeutic opportunities in the areas of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases for Noxopharm subsidiary, Pharmorage, in partnership with Hudson.

First TBK1 inhibitor to be tested in clinic

Noxopharm group chief scientific officer Dr Olivier Laczka said: “This discovery, which is the result of a great collaborative effort between Noxopharm and experts in the field, further reinforces the relevance of Veyonda as a preventive treatment for cytokine storms driven by RNA virus infections, as is the case with COVID-19, and this to our knowledge makes Veyonda the first TBK1 inhibitor to be tested in the clinic.

“Pharmorage also is set to benefit considerably from this discovery.

“With a focus on new generation treatments for inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases, TBK1 adds a high-profile and potentially high-value drug target for Pharmorage’s emerging pipeline.”

Long COVID-19 symptoms

Hudson Institute’s associate Professor Michael Gantier, Head of the Nucleic Acids and Innate Immunity Laboratory, said: “TBK1 is a point of convergence of many inflammatory pathways, and a target under significant investigation by several big pharmaceutical companies.

“Our latest findings, which are being prepared for publication, demonstrate that idronoxil may have applications in a range of diseases where TBK1 facilitates aberrant inflammation.

“Critically, TBK1 also directly controls production of interferon-beta, a cytokine associated with long-COVID symptoms.

“This suggests that idronoxil may not only be useful to prevent progression of COVID-19 patients from mild to severe disease, but also may decrease the risk of long-lasting post-infectious symptoms, seen in up to half of COVID-19 patients.”

TBK1

TBK1 is a key protein in cells through which immune and inflammation signals pass in response to the detection of viruses and cancer.

TBK1 has become the subject of considerable industry attention because it could control a form of immune dysregulation that has been incriminated in the development of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and motor neuron disease.

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on 12/10/23