Date: 2015-03-10
Type of information: Grant
Company: The Lead Discovery Center (LDC) (Germany)
Investors: Max Planck Foundation (Germany) Dr Helmut Storz Foundation (Germany)
Amount: €1 million
Funding type: grant
Planned used: The grants will be used for the development of new drug candidates. The first project is a new anti-inflammatory compound being jointly developed by the LDC, the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics and the Max Planck Research Unit for Enzymology and Protein Folding. It targets a group of enzymes called cyclophilins, which play an important role in the development of acute inflammation. The first-in-class compound uses a novel and more targeted mode of action that could reduce the dosing requirements and side-effects associated with traditional cyclophilin inhibitors, which include immune suppression and kidney or liver damage. The project holds strong potential for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in cardiology and autoimmunity. The second project addresses a highly innovative molecular target that plays a pivotal role in various cancer forms, including breast and ovarian cancer. The project will benefit from the LDC’s extensive know-how in the discovery of small molecule inhibitors for the enzyme class in question. The LDC will collaborate closely with the Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), which is associated with the Max Planck Society.
Others: * On March 10, 2015, The Lead Discovery Center (LDC) receives two grants of € 0.5 Million each for the development of two innovative drug discovery approaches for treating inflammation and cancer. The funds originate half-and-half from the Max Planck Foundation (MPF) and the Dr Helmut Storz Foundation, which is managed by the MPF.
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Inflammatory diseases
