Scientific Background
It is estimated that diseases resulting from amyloidosis affect over 60 million people in the developed world today and the prevalence of all ageing-related diseases is likely to double by 2030. A variety of seemingly unrelated degenerative diseases have all been linked to a fundamental pathogenic process of protein/peptide aggregation of amyloid-like proteins. In each case, a specific protein or peptide clumps together to form toxic soluble oligomers and/or insoluble "amyloid-like" fibres that can produce inappropriate inflammation. Toxic soluble oligomers and inflammation are widely believed to cause the progressive degeneration of the cells associated with these diseases.
Senexis is currently focused on three ageing-related diseases: Alzheimer's Disease, Diabetes and Inclusion Body Myositis.
To see scientific publications related to the research conducted by Senexis, please see the News page.
You can see articles published by our scientific advisors here: Prof. Walsh, Prof. Doig, Dr Levine and Prof. Rothwell.
Platform Technologies
The competitive position of Senexis relies on the barriers to entry provided by its intellectual property rights and know-how in the areas of amyloid preparation and biochemistry, assay development, medicinal chemistry, amyloid pathology and clinical development. In particular, the broad and defensible portfolio of "composition-of-matter" patents protects a series of compounds that inhibit the misfolding, aggregation and associated toxicity of amyloid-forming proteins. The portfolio of compounds comprises novel molecules generated by the Company's proprietary assay platforms and discovery tools, along with in-licensed compounds that Senexis has continued to develop further. This approach provides multiple product opportunities for potentially treating all diseases of amyloid-related toxicity derived from an efficient and cost-effective discovery platform.
Senexis operates on a "semi-virtual" basis by using the Technology Development Laboratory (TDL) on the Babraham Research Campus in Cambridge, where the Company has been based since June 2004 (further details are here). Medicinal Chemistry, DMPK and some of our efficacy testing of our novel molecules are carried out through collaborations with contract research organisations and academic groups. The Company's registered office is located at Babraham Hall on the Campus.
One of the key in vitro assay systems currently being exploited by Senexis relies on measuring the binding of its compounds to various forms of amyloid using a Biacore T100 and T200 in the TDL. Further technical details on this instrument can be found by clicking here.