Macomics and IFOM (the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology) Announce Macrophage Scientific Collaboration
13 May 2024 - 6:00PM
Macomics Ltd, a leader in macrophage drug discovery, announces that
it has entered a scientific collaboration with Prof. Massimiliano
Pagani from the IFOM (the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology),
one of Italy’s leading research institutes in Cancer Research.
IFOM is focused on the study of cancer formation
and development at the molecular level. Prof. Pagani’s laboratory
is pioneering studies on Regulatory T cells in the tumour
microenvironment. The collaboration will see Macomics work with Dr
Francesca Simoncello in Prof. Pagani’s lab to synergize this deep
knowledge, particularly in the use of ex vivo tumoroids and T cell
biology, with Macomics’ macrophage expertise. The goal is to
explore new modes of action for macrophage targeted therapies.
Macomics is exploiting the potential of
macrophage-targeted approaches to develop first-in-class medicines
to address disease of high unmet medical need. The company’s
ENIGMAC macrophage drug discovery platform allows access to
previously hidden disease specific macrophage targets: It
integrates large volume human data sets, next generation human
macrophage cell models, and proprietary macrophage genome editing
capability to discover novel targets, unlock new disease biology,
and de-risk clinical translation.
Under the collaboration the parties will explore
together the potential for the use of ex vivo tumoroid models
developed by the Pagani lab in the characterisation of macrophage
targeted therapies, including testing of novel drug candidates with
new modes of action discovered by Macomics in complex human assay
systems.
Dr Luca Cassetta,
VP Immunology and Founder of
Macomics, said, “We are delighted to collaborate with one
of the leading centres of excellence in the T-cell biology field.
This collaboration will allow us to optimise the design of our
therapies by harnessing the power of patient-derived organoids
which, unlike cell lines, recapitulate the overall architecture and
functional features of the cancer tissue from which they originate.
They also better replicate the complexity of the human tumour
microenvironment than commonly used pre-clinical models. This
understanding will accelerate the advancement of our programs
towards clinical development.”
Prof. Massimiliano Pagani,
Principal Investigator at IFOM and Professor of Molecular
Biology at the University of Milan, said,
“A key goal for IFOM is the rapid transfer of scientific results
from bench to bedside. This collaboration fits that goal, bringing
together international experts across disciplines to accelerate the
discovery of new therapies that [have the potential to] improve the
long-term outcome for cancer patients.”
Dr Stephen Myatt, CEO of Macomics,
said, “This is an important collaboration that brings
together cutting-edge technology, complex assays, and novel
therapeutic strategies to address the challenge and huge potential
of macrophage drug discovery. Macrophages are key to multiple
diseases of high unmet medical need, including as key mediators of
solid tumour immunosuppression and pathological inflammation in
chronic inflammatory disorders, and we are advancing a number of
programs in our pipeline towards clinical studies, to bring new
therapies to cancer patients.”
About Macomics –
www.macomics.com
Macomics Ltd is a macrophage drug discovery
company with a world-leading macrophage drug discovery platform,
developing first-in-class medicines to deliver transformational
impact for patients with macrophage-driven diseases: Macrophages
are key to multiple diseases of high unmet medical need, including
as key mediators of solid tumour immunosuppression and pathological
inflammation in chronic inflammatory disorders.
The company is progressing a diversified
portfolio of therapies targeting disease specific macrophages
towards the clinic. Its ENIGMAC macrophage drug discovery platform
enables identification and validation of novel macrophage
therapeutic targets and provides a translationally relevant path to
clinic through the development of more physiologically relevant
human macrophage models combined with proprietary gene editing
technology.
The company was co-founded in 2020 by Prof.
Jeffrey Pollard and Dr Luca Cassetta, University of Edinburgh,
internationally recognised leaders in macrophage biology. It has
R&D and office facilities in Edinburgh and Cambridge, UK. The
company’s financing was led by Epidarex Capital and the company is
backed by Scottish Enterprise, LifeLink Ventures and Caribou
Property Limited.
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https://twitter.com/MacomicsL
About IFOM -
https://www.ifom.eu/en/
Founded in 1998 and supported by AIRC, the
Italian Association for Cancer Research, IFOM is an international
cancer research institute focused on the study of cancer formation
and development at molecular level, with a view to a rapid transfer
of results from bench to bedside.
For further information please contact:
Macomics
At the Company - Steve Myatt, CEO, Macomics
E: myatt@macomics.com
Media enquiries (for Macomics) - Sue Charles,
Charles Consultants T: +44 (0)7968 726585
E: sue@charles-consultants.com