Oxford BioDynamics signs collaboration agreement with a major US biopharmaceutical company

EpiSwitch™ technology to identify new targets and biomarkers relating to fibrotic mechanisms

Fibrosis associated with chronic inflammation is a serious unmet clinical need

Oxford BioDynamics Plc (AIM: OBD), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of epigenetic biomarkers based on regulatory genome architecture, for use within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an initial collaboration with a major US biopharmaceutical company to advance the discovery and development of novel treatments to address patients with abnormal wound healing response, leading to fibrosis. Fibrosis is a pathological feature of most chronic inflammatory diseases, which can affect nearly every tissue in the body. If left to progress, the fibrotic process eventually leads to organ malfunction and may ultimately result in death.

The normal healing cascade in response to tissue injury involves a series of sequential, timely and controlled physiological steps which result in successful tissue repair and restoration of normal function. Failure to control the multifaceted and complex healing process can lead to considerable tissue remodelling resulting in the replacement of functional tissue with permanent fibrous scar tissue.

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, the US biopharmaceutical company will be granted access to OBD’s unique EpiSwitch™ technology for use in the analysis of structure-function of genome architecture and new insights into fibrotic mechanisms, new targets and new biomarkers. This will support the development of novel therapeutic candidates and next-generation companion diagnostics, and enable patient population stratification for clinical trials in the area of fibrosis.

Christian Hoyer Millar, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford BioDynamics, said:

“We are pleased to be collaborating with a major global biopharma company to support the development of potential novel drug candidates, and the identification of patients suitable for a new fibrosis treatment. This new collaboration is further evidence of broad adoption of our validated proprietary technology EpiSwitch™ for practical use in highly challenging therapeutic development programmes.”