A commercial plan for the exploitation of a series of novel anti-AOX compounds and associated technology applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sussex
Department Name: Sch of Life Sciences
Abstract
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Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Anthony Moore (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | To better identify the most appropriate exploitation strategy for AOX technology,this grant (BB/T003200/1) was obtained to review the commercial potential of this technology. The objectives of the review were to provide a rational 'pathway' and outline plan for full commercialisation. The review considered whether the technology was exploitable and if so, what is the best way of exploitation from a commercial and societal perspective i.e. to out licence the technology or create a commercial spin-out company. The review also considered whether the focus of commercial exploitation should be the clinical and/or agrochemical applications of the technology. A full report of the findings is included as an attachment. As part of the review process, contact was made with a small targeted group of potential commercial partners (i.e. agrochemical and pharmaceutical companies) and potential sources of finance, including specialist life science venture capital funds and 'captive' venture capital funds (e.g. SROne (GSK) & Syngenta Ventures). It was envisaged that such an approach might identify early business development opportunities and provide the foundation for an early commercial development or license deal, which could be exploited subsequently by UoS or a spin-out company created for that purpose. The commercial review concluded that the best way of exploiting AOX technology would be to create a spin-out company (AlternOx Scientific Ltd) which would focus on the exploitation of novel and proprietary inhibitors of alternative oxidase (AOX) to treat the wide range of multi-drug and multi-compound resistant species of fungi that now threaten human health and food security worldwide. In addition, the company would exploit its technology more broadly in applications that include, protein therapy for certain neurological and inflammatory conditions. |
| Exploitation Route | This review confirmed that many of the agro and pharma companies view AOX inhibition as a viable antifungal strategy. During the review process, agrochemical giant Syngenta indicated that it would screen the library of AOX inhibitors developed by the Moore group with a view to licensing lead candidates. Similarly, ADAMA indicated that it would want to engage with AlternOx in the collaborative development of new AOX inhibitors for agrochemical use once lead development candidates had been identified. Syngenta Ventures proposed that it would wish to consider investing in AlternOx Scientific at the 'series A funding stage' whilst SROne (GSK captive fund) indicated that it and other pharma investment funds would be interested to invest in AlternOx once clinical lead development candidates had been identified and properly characterised. With further development of the AOX inhibitors developed by the Moore Group it is likely that some of these companies will wish to collaborate commercially with (and invest in) AlternOx Scientific Ltd. For all the reasons discussed above, there would appear to be no obvious commercial (i.e. limited market size) or competitive barrier to the successful exploitation of AOX technology in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical markets. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | These findings have been used to establish a spin-out company called AlternOx Scientific Ltd formed in 2021. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Company Name | ALTERNOX SCIENTIFIC LTD |
| Description | The Company has been established in order to commercialize the outputs from the most recent BBSRC grant and is to commercialize anti-fungals against AOX. |
| Year Established | 2020 |
| Impact | None yet - only established in Feb 2020. |