(Alliance News) - Drug discovery firm C4X Discovery Holdings PLC said Tuesday it has entered into a new collaboration with the GEN-COVID consortium, a network of more than 20 hospitals in Italy.
"The collaboration will use the unique mathematical genetic analysis methodology of Taxonomy3 to investigate the role genetics plays in the widely varied disease susceptibility, severity and prognosis observed between individuals with Covid-19," C4X explained.
Taxonomy3 will analyse genetic data from a "significant" number of Covid-19 positive patients collected by the consortium to identify genes associated with severe Covid-19 disease, the drug discovery firm said.
C4X added: "The aim is to identify a unique genetic signature that can successfully predict mild versus severe disease to inform treatment of patients at risk. The analysis may also uncover novel biology driving severity of the disease which may inform potential novel drug targets for treatment."
Chief Executive Clive Dix said: "The disease continues to spread throughout the world and a clear understanding of how it affects people differently remains elusive.
"We believe that genetics may play a role in explaining the differences in an individual's disease susceptibility, severity and prognosis. This is a new area for C4XD and we are excited to be working on such an important project. We remain committed to deliver and drive novel small molecule drugs against challenging targets towards clinical development."
The company also noted Indivior PLC has started a Phase 1 clinical trial for C4X's novel selective Orexin-1 antagonist, for the treatment of opioid dependence with the first patient now dosed.
The study is expected to complete by year end.
Dix continued: "I am delighted to share the progress we have made over recent months across our proprietary portfolio despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, the continued headway in our key inflammation programmes.
"Our two most advanced programmes, NRF-2 and IL-17, continue to move forward with one of our lead NRF-2 molecules, C4X_6746, showing significant efficacy in a pre-clinical model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This enables expansion of our commercial discussions beyond those partners already engaged in assessing the programme for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Sickle Cell Disease."
Shares in C4X Discovery were down 9.2% in London on Tuesday at 22.25 pence each.
By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com
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