AstraZeneca and EvoRx Technologies successfully completed a one-year research collaboration leveraging EvoRx's proprietary Evo-Link technology to discover cell penetrating peptides for a high value intracellular protein–protein interaction target in the respiratory portfolio.

The EvoRx team successfully generated peptides with sub micromolar cell activity and low drop-off from primary potency meeting the primary goal of the collaboration. AstraZeneca will continue the development of the lead candidates.

Nearly 70 per cent of proteins implicated in diseases remain inaccessible and are considered 'undruggable with traditional therapeutic approaches. Many of these targets are intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPI). EvoRx has developed Evo-Link technology, an integrated platform containing the vital elements necessary for the rapid development of highly specific, potent, cell permeable, orally bioavailable peptidic compounds exhibiting long half-lives in human serum. The compounds are highly effective at targeting intracellular protein-protein interactions.

"This collaboration allowed us to further validate our unique approach in successfully targeting intracellular protein-protein interactions thought to be undruggable," said Stephen Fiacco, chief executive officer of EvoRx.

"Our new therapeutic paradigm has the potential to be a game changer for many patients with diseases that so far have not been accessible with traditional strategies in drug discovery. This opens the door for novel treatment across many therapeutic areas."

"Respiratory disease represents a main therapeutic area for AstraZeneca, but many disease targets are intractable to both small molecule and biologic therapy, limiting our options to discover new treatments for these life threatening and debilitating diseases. Designing potent, stable, cell penetrating peptides is also one of our industry's biggest challenges, and so we are delighted with the outcome of our collaboration with EvoRxTechnologies. By working together were able to make very significant progress on the permeability problem of our peptides while optimising potency and stability." said Dr Maarten Kraan, head of the respiratory, inflammation and autoimmune diseases innovative medicines unit, AstraZeneca.

 Founded in 2011, EvoRx is a privately held, early stage biotechnology company. It strives to discover and develop innovative peptide therapeutics and targeted radiopharmaceuticals for treatment and diagnosis of disease with high unmet medical need.

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune, oncology, infection and neuroscience diseases.