As part of the session New Horizons in Glaucoma Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Elands will be presenting Amakem’s progress in developing AMA0076, a novel, highly potent Rho Kinase (ROCK) inhibitor for the treatment of glaucoma. AMA0076 has been proven in preclinical models to be highly effective in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP), a major factor in glaucoma, and to avoid important side effects such as hyperemia.
AMA0076 has been developed using Amakem’s proprietary ‘Localized Drug Action’ platform. The principle is to treat a specific organ with a locally administered drug which is then deactivated before it can reach other organs or tissues. By limiting or avoiding systemic exposure, any potential side effects in non-target organs can be reduced.
For more information, please contact
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Amakem NV Jack Elands, CEO +32 (0) 474 828 580 |
Citigate Dewe Rogerson Chris Gardner/Nina Enegren chris.gardner@citegatedr.co.uk/nina.enegren@citegatedr.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7638 9571 |
About Amakem
Amakem is an ophthalmology company developing new treatments for serious eye conditions. Amakem’s product pipeline is based on its unique Localized Drug Action platform which is designed to generate safe and effective novel kinase inhibitors that minimize systemic exposure with the aim of reducing side effects. Amakem’s lead candidate, AMA0076, is for glaucoma and the Company is working to apply the Localized Drug Action approach to a range of other eye diseases.
Founded in 2010, Amakem has raised more than €21m in funding and is backed by leading life sciences investors including Forbion, Crédit Agricole, Vesalius BioCapital, LRM, PMV/Vinnof and Life Science Research Partners.
Amakem is based in Belgium and located in the life sciences incubator “BioVille” at the University of Hasselt. The Company has a long-standing collaboration with the Ophthalmology Research Center of the University Leuven Hospital.
About Localized Drug Action
Amakem’s ‘Localized Drug Action’ platform is designed to generate novel kinase inhibitor drugs which are contained locally and thus reduce or eliminate side effects. Kinases are crucial mediators of important disease pathways representing more than 22% of the drugable genome. However, kinases are present throughout the body and so there is a significant risk of toxicity due to on target effects in non-target organs and tissues if there is systemic exposure. This risk is acceptable in oncology indications, but not in others thus substantially reducing the potential of drugs targeting this class.
Amakem’s kinase inhibitors are designed to be rapidly inactivated outside the target organ. In indications that can be treated by topical administration, it is therefore possible to contain the drug locally as it becomes inactive before it can reach other organs or tissues if it leaks out of the target organ.
Localized Drug Action is based on the inactivation of kinase inhibitors outside the target organ, e.g. in the bloodstream by specifically targeted enzymes. Each of Amakem’s kinase inhibitors brings together kinase specificity and enzymatic conversion specificity. When the drug candidate leaves the target organ it is converted to a functionally inactive metabolite. This inactive metabolite is then eliminated from the body.