Drug discovery services
Current pipeline
Draconis Pharma’s R&D strategy is focused on developing innovative and novel drugs that modulate the response of the immune system.
EP4 Program receptor antagonist – New chemical entities acting as antagonists of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Draconis has a lead compound () which shows a selective target-related nanomolar activity in cell-based assays, excellent efficacy in animal models of disease, wide safety and toxicology margin and a suitable pharmacokinetic profile. The discovery of DRC-0069236compound is part of an intensive medicinal chemistry program (NEOGENIUS program) perfeormed in collaboration with Laboratorios Esteve and Almirall, and supported by Spanish Center for Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI). EP4 receptor is widely distributed in endothelial and immune cells and the PGE2/EP4 signaling is involved in several key processes in the immune response. A first program is focused on the treatment of immune-based inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriasis and so on. A second program is focused on the immunotherapy of some types of cancer where PGE2 has been associated with proliferation, survival and migration of tumor cells
IBD Program – New chemical entity as a novel therapeutic approach combining the blockade of an innovative target (not disclosed) for the treatment of Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). These group of pathologies are a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract that includes two entities, namely Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The current therapies for IBD have an elevated number of non-responders, indicating a considerable unmet need for new therapies. This new target displays modulatory actions on immune system and a relevant activity in many rodent models of IBD. Our compound has shown a high efficacy in different animal models of IBD
Chemokine program – Draconis Pharma has developed a series of new antibodies directed to a chemokine (not disclosed). This novel target interacts with a receptor predominantly expressed on microglia and play a pivotal role in neuronal-microglial communication and represents an innovative approach for the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders. This project was initially developed within DENDRIA program, supported by Spanish Center for Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI).