Discovery pipeline
In addition to its five lead drug candidates, ImmuPharma has a proprietary discovery process for generating more novel compounds for developing internally or licensing to others.
It currently has two sources of patented new molecules from which it expects to generate one new lead compound a year:
Library of “drug-like” of molecules
ImmuPharma has acquired the rights to a virtual library of heterocyclic urea molecules – 70 per cent of which are considered as “drug-like” based on their physiochemical characteristics. Commercially available libraries are generally considered to contain just 35-40 per cent “drug-like” molecules. The company will use drug modelling and screening in-house and in conjunction with CNRS and others to select and manufacture the molecules. Some 300,000 of these molecules may be able to be synthesized based on this core structure.
Peptide to drug converting technology
This innovative technology focuses on turning small peptides into potential drug products. PDCT increases a peptide’s plasma half-life and efficacy. It may improve the oral absorption of small peptides, such as met-enkephalin (the body’s internal analgesic), which would be a major advance in the development of effective medicines. The development risk of drugs based on peptides should be significantly reduced because the peptides are produced by the human body and are more effective.
