Development of Potential New Cancer Drugs

A research team in University College Cork have developed potential new cancer drugs and are due to begin commercial development in biotech form Lee Oncology. This will be conducted under a licensing agreement for intellectual property. Dr. Finbarr Murphy led this team and it began when he created a unique series of genetically engineered human cell lines that redesign the “faulty wiring” which are found within cancer cells. These cells were then used as tests so they could search chemical libraries for different molecules, which contain anti-cancer activity.

Professor Anita Maguire then lead a team of pharmaceutical chemists who worked on certain molecules to improve their sustainability and suitability to be developed as drugs. Although it has already received funding from Enterprise Ireland, it is looking for more funds to support the progress of the technology. The company have been welcomed by UCC into a new custom-built incubation space. Dr. John Harris from Lee Oncology has stated “We are delighted to gain access to these high-quality anti-cancer compound series, confident that we can develop them rapidly into promising drug candidates that patients urgently require”.

Source - http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/biotech-firm-gets-licence-to-develop-ucc-cancer-drugs-2126262.html