Innaxon Therapeutics is an early stage development company based at Unit DX in Bristol, United Kingdom.
Innaxon's in-house biopharmaceuticals Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) agonists (Dendrophilin® and Novo-Pyrexal®) and in-licensed small molecule inhibitors (IAXOTM compounds) have been shown in proof-of-concept pre-clinical studies to treat cancer and prevent serious inflammatory diseases, respectively. Innaxon continuously seeks further partnerships with academic, pharmaceutical and clinical research centres to harness innate immunity for therapeutic benefit in the field of vaccine adjuvants immuno(chemo)therapy anti-inflammatory agents
Innaxon and our collaborators have succeeded in solubilising challenging lipid and hydrophobic high potency API using SMALP technology (nanodisc).
Nanodiscs offer a versatile and customisable platform for studying membrane proteins, drug discovery, targeted drug delivery, vaccine development, and diagnostics.
A nanodisc is a synthetic lipid bilayer disc that is stabilised by a belt of amphiphilic polymers or detergents. It is typically used to study the structure, function, and interactions of membrane proteins in a controlled environment or for drug delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) or adjuvanted antigens for vaccines.
Nanodiscs offer several advantages for therapeutic and diagnostic applications:
- Membrane protein research: Nanodiscs provide a native-like environment for membrane proteins, allowing them to maintain their structure and function outside the cell membrane. This enables detailed studies of membrane protein interactions, ligand binding, and functional characterisation, which can aid in the development of new therapeutics targeting membrane proteins.
- Drug discovery: Nanodiscs can be used as a platform for screening potential drug candidates. They allow the incorporation of specific membrane proteins involved in disease pathways, facilitating the evaluation of drug binding, efficacy, and potential off-target effects. This information can accelerate the drug discovery process by providing insights into the mechanism of action and optimization of lead compounds.
- Delivery systems: Nanodiscs can serve as a delivery vehicle for therapeutics. By incorporating specific membrane proteins into nanodiscs, they can be utilised for targeted drug delivery to specific cell types or tissues. This approach can enhance drug efficacy, reduce side effects, and improve the overall pharmacokinetics of therapeutic molecules.
- Vaccines: Nanodiscs can be engineered to present antigens in a controlled and stable manner, making them a promising platform for vaccine development. By incorporating specific antigens into nanodiscs, they can elicit a targeted immune response, leading to the production of antibodies and T-cell activation. This approach can enhance vaccine efficacy and potentially overcome challenges associated with traditional vaccine delivery systems.
- Diagnostic tools: Nanodiscs can be functionalised with various molecules, such as antibodies or fluorescent probes, to create diagnostic tools. By incorporating specific biomarkers into nanodiscs, they can be used for sensitive detection of disease-related molecules in patient samples. This can enable early disease detection, monitoring of disease progression, and personalised medicine approaches.
Their ability to mimic the native cellular environment makes them valuable tools in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications.