AMRI and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc. the nonprofit affiliate of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, has announced a four-year research collaboration worth up to $23.7 million, aimed at identifying novel treatments that address the core defect in cystic fibrosis.
The agreement calls for AMRI to screen its natural-product based libraries to find compounds that improve the function of the defective protein in CF, known as the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). AMRI will also conduct an integrated drug discovery programme including chemistry and in vitro biology, on promising compounds that may emerge from the screening programme. Should any compounds identified under the agreement progress into preclinical or clinical testing, AMRI has the option to provide chemical development and GMP manufacturing services to CFFT on those compounds.
The announcement is being made in conjunction with the 21st Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Anaheim , California. "With this collaboration, we are proving once again that we will explore every promising avenue to find new therapies for people with CF," said Robert J Beall, Ph.D, president and CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. " We are excited about the potential of AMRI's cutting-edge natural products capabilities to complement our existing small molecule drug discovery strategy".
CFFT is exploring the promise of natural products in an effort to increase the number and diversity of chemicals available to improve the function of the defective CFTR protein. The collaboration includes financial commitments from CFFT, which could be worth up to $23.7 million, if specific clinical development milestones are met.
"AMRI is committed to working with CFFT to discover and develop new therapeutics and advance the care and treatment of persons stricken with this fatal illness," said AMRI chairman, president and chief executive officer Thomas E. D'Ambra, PhD, "With our diverse natural product collections, integrated with follow-on technologies in high throughput screening, medicinal chemistry lead optimization and fermentation scale up, AMRI is uniquely and ideally suited to help the Foundation identify and develop potential new medicines".
The collaboration with CFFT marks AMRI's fourth natural products-based research agreement in the last ten months, including two others that have previously been announced.
Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States . It causes serious lung infections and digestive complications.