Development of a novel human primary T-cell assay for translation of preclinical discovery to patients with autoimmune diseases

“Metrion Biosciences最近（2018年1月）成立了一家专业的离子通道药物发现子公司，Metrion Pharma Ltd （Metrion）。该公司由Metrion Biosciences全资拥有。离子通道是位于细胞膜上的蛋白质，负责控制神经冲动、肌肉收缩、心脏跳动、感官功能以及许多其他细胞和组织的生理活动。总部位于剑桥格兰塔公园的Metrion Pharma对离子通道在健康和疾病中的功能有着专业的理解，并拥有设计和开发针对这些蛋白质的药物的独特技能。Metrion Biosciences发现了与银屑病、多发性硬化症和特应性皮炎等自身免疫疾病相关的钾通道小分子抑制剂，该产品组合已被授权给Metrion Pharma （Metrion）。这笔拨款将使Metrion能够创建一种独特的自身免疫性疾病的人类t细胞模型，以提高临床试验成功的可能性，并减少药物开发过程中的损耗。如果成功，这项资助的项目将使Metrion率先开发已经在人体细胞中测试过的药物，从而减少药物开发过程中的损耗。该项目将成为Metrion建立其药物发现管道的基础。Metrion的管理团队和顾问在离子通道研究、自身免疫药物发现和药物化学方面拥有丰富的经验，并在向临床提供新药分子方面取得了成功。通过这笔拨款，Metrion将利用其药物发现专业知识创建新的检测方法，以降低开发过程中的风险。对Metrion的铅钾通道分子的测试将支持口服活性疾病修饰剂的产生，用于治疗自身免疫性疾病，特别关注多发性硬化症、牛皮癣和特应性皮炎等未满足的医疗需求。”

"Metrion Biosciences recently (January 2018) established a specialist ion channel drug discovery subsidiary, Metrion Pharma Ltd (Metrion). The Company is wholly owned by Metrion Biosciences. Ion channels are proteins located in cell membranes that are responsible for controlling nerve impulses, muscle contractions, beating of the heart, function of the senses and the physiological activity of many other cells and tissues. Based at Granta Park, Cambridge, Metrion Pharma has a expert understanding of the function of ion channels in health and disease and a unique skillset to design and develop medicines against these proteins.Metrion Biosciences identified small molecule inhibitors of potassium channels involved in auto-immune conditions such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and atopic dermatitis, and this portfolio has been licensed to Metrion Pharma (Metrion). This grant will enable Metrion to create a unique human T-cell model of autoimmune diseases to improve the likelihood of success in clinical trials and to decrease attrition in the drug development process.If successful, this grant funded project will enable Metrion to pioneer the development of medicines that have been tested in human cells, thereby reducing attrition of the drug development process. This project will form the foundation for Metrion to build its drug discovery pipeline.Metrion's management team and advisors have extensive experience in ion channel research, autoimmune drug discovery and medicinal chemistry, and have a successful track record in delivering new drug molecules to the clinic. Through this grant Metrion will exploit its drug discovery expertise to create new assays to reduce risk in the development process. Testing of Metrion's lead potassium channel molecules will support the generation of orally active disease modifying agents for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, with a particular focus on unmet medical needs in multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis."