Keltic Pharma Therapeutics has secured SMART Grant funding to advance its efforts in addressing asthma and other inflammatory airway conditions.
The Innovate UK funding totalling £350,000 will facilitate the growth of the University of Glasgow spin-out’s drug discovery platform, PEPSMOL, which focuses on previously challenging-to-target G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), particularly the FFA4 receptor.
Additionally, the company plans to hire three new employees to expand its current team of 10 individuals based at the Advanced Research Centre on the university’s Western Campus.
Keltic Pharma came from the research teams of Professor Andrew Tobin, Professor Andrew Jameson, and Professor Graeme Milligan.
The PEPSMOL platform employs a multi-step process that combines the beneficial features of small molecules and biologics, including antibodies.
This cutting-edge method allows for the precise targeting of intricate GPCRs and paves the way for developing more effective treatments for unmet clinical demands, as stated by the company.
Chief executive Tobin said: “Our goal is to develop inhaled synthetic biologic drugs that can normalise lung function and reduce inflammation in severe asthma patients, offering a novel and much-needed treatment option in respiratory medicine.”
Melville Anderson, head of commercialisation at the University of Glasgow, said: “Securing this highly competitive Innovate UK grant is a fantastic achievement by the Keltic Pharma team and demonstrates the significant commercial potential of the PEPSMOL platform.”
