Our pipeline

Two Link_TSG6 programmes set to improve patient outcomes

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Dry Eye Disease (DED)-lead programme

Current treatment for moderate to severe dry eye disease provides insufficient efficacy and tolerability

DED is an inflammatory condition in which patients experience persistent eye irritation, blurred vision and pain, with reduced visual acuity in some individuals. About 350 million people worldwide are affected by the signs and symptoms of DED [1]. In the USA alone, 16.4 million (7% of adults) are diagnosed with DED with 50% experiencing moderate to severe symptoms [2].

Current market-leading prescription therapies provide insufficient efficacy, with large proportions of patients not seeing beneficial effects in pivotal clinical trials. Poor tolerability is also an issue; e.g. 17-25% of patients experience irritation, a burning sensation or blurred vision [3, 4].

Our work in pre-clinical models has shown that Link_TSG6 has the potential to treat the signs (corneal lesions) and symptoms (eye irritation/dryness) of DED more effectively than existing drugs. It has a rapid treatment effect when given topically.

Link_TSG6 has been shown to:

  • Accelerate corneal wound healing

  • Improve tear production

  • Reduce inflammation

  • Preserve goblet cells

Published DED data

 
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Osteoarthritis (OA)

There are no disease-modifying drugs that can slow OA progression and many patients live in constant pain

OA is a debilitating condition where chronic pain and loss of joint function severely limit daily activities; patients have increased risk of comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, and premature death [5]. No disease-modifying drugs exist. Current treatment is limited to pain relief with only partial effectiveness and joint replacement surgery when symptoms become unbearable [5]. Approximately 530 million people worldwide including 52 million in the USA, suffer from the condition. Knee OA is the most debilitating form of osteoarthritis and affects 365 million worldwide including 25 million Americans [1]. 

Our work in pre-clinical models has demonstrated that Link_TSG6 has the potential to be a unique treatment for symptomatic knee OA, slowing disease progression and reducing pain [6], thereby improving quality of life and delaying the need for joint replacement surgery.

Link_TSG6 has been shown to:

  • Mimic an intrinsic protective pathway

  • Inhibit cartilage breakdown

  • Have potential for personalised medicine

  • Reduce pain

Published OA data

 References

  1. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, GBD Results Tool | GHDx, Ghdx.healthdata.org, 2020. http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool.

  2. K. Farrand, M. Fridman, I. Stillman & D. Schaumberg, Prevalence of Diagnosed Dry Eye Disease in the United States Among Adults Aged 18 Years and Older, American Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 182, pp. 90-98, 2017. 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.06.033

  3. Allergan. Restasis (cyclosporine) [package insert] U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/050790s027lbl.pdf

  4. Novartis. Xiidra (lifitegrast). U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/208073s005lbl.pdf

  5. Osteoarthritis Research Society International: A Serious Disease, 2016. https://oarsi.org/education/oarsi-resources/oarsi-white-paper-oa-serious-disease

  6. S. P. Drummond, E. Bartnik, N. Kouvatsos, J. Scott, D. P. Dyer, J. M. Thomson, A. J. Price, S. Anand, L. C. Biant, T. Leeuw, M. Herrmann, C. M. Milner, A. J. Day. 2021 The recombinant link module of human TSG-6 suppresses cartilage damage in models of osteoarthritis: a potential disease-modifying OA drug. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.23.21254102