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IRL collaboration synthesises new immucillins
Industrial Research, in collaboration with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has designed and synthesized a new class of compounds termed the "Immucillins".
The immucillin molecule.
Industrial Research, in collaboration with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has designed and synthesized a new class of compounds termed "Immucillins". Dr Gary Evans from Industrial Research was speaking at the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry' s branch meeting. He said these molecules were extremely potent enzyme inhibitors which selectively ameliorate T-cell proliferation in humans.
The immucillins were licensed to the US Biotech Company BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc with the aim of commercialising these compounds.
Potentially immucillins could help clinicians treat a variety of auto-immune conditions such as arthritis and the prevention of new organ rejection after transplant. One of the immucillins is currently in Phase I/II clinical trials for the treatment of T-cell cancers.
The expertise gained in the synthesis of immucillins is now being applied to the design and synthesis of drugs which, in the long term, could see new treatments available for illnesses such as malaria, giardia, cryptosporidiosis, psoriasis and African sleeping sickness.
Dr Gary Evans is a member of the Carbohydrate Chemistry team at Industrial Research.
Release Date:
12 February, 2003