Controlling inflammatory response: Using innovative peptides and nanoparticle technology to significantly reduce the damage and impact on skin of 2nd and 3rd degree burns

NHS Burns Services treated more than 15,000 patients for burns and scalds in 2017 with costs exceeding £20million and the most severe burns costing £95,000 to treat. The true cost (hospital treatment/operative costs/dressings/staffing/lost productivity/physical and mental health implications) can reach ~£126,000/patient, totaling £1.9billion/year for the UK economy.

The resultant acute inflammatory response, whilst fundamental to the healing process, when prolonged can be highly detrimental and lead to scarring and fibrosis which can be disfiguring, functionally restrictive and may require revisionary surgeries. Severe burns may display chronic, persistent inflammation long after initial injury and can even result in multiple organ failure due to systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Therefore, it is imperative that inflammation is effectively managed following burns injuries. Additionally, whilst burn injuries are sterile at time of injury, rapid blistering and necrosis of the injured tissue soon opens the wound up to pathogens and infection risk.

The global burns care market is experiencing significant growth (£2.5billion by 2026), dominated by dressings (collagen/hydrogel), traditional burn creams and anti-inflammatory drugs. These current solutions focus only on treating the side-effects of burns, with currently available anti-inflammatories either poorly effective, toxic, causing GI upset, liver/kidney failure and other serious side effects. There is a clear unmet healthcare need for a safer, more specific/effective inflammatory therapeutic.

The proposed project seeks to develop a novel peptide medicine delivered using a patented, safe nano-particle delivery technology. Unlike competing solutions this will switch off and prevent the inflammatory response with exquisitely specific inflammation blockers, so only tiny doses will be required to cure serious inflammatory diseases. This will generate significant socio-economic impacts e.g. reduced time and cost of burn treatment to the NHS and patients, reduce the amount the NHS spends on ineffective inflammatory disease treatment and reducing costly health complications.

Work to date has focused on initial in-vitro testing demonstrating the lead compound is highly specific, switches off inflammation, prevents activation of inflammation and that nanoparticles are safe in humans' cells. Bridge Biotec have already gained strong interest from mid-level/large pharma placing them in a strong position for licensing and revenue generation within 6 years. It is now critical Bridge Biotec technically advance the solution with this project focusing on development to TRL4 to assess its efficacy in human ex-vivo tissue studies.

The project will deliver significant export led growth for Bridge Biotec, a substantial ROI, increased employment and further opportunity for R&D investment.