LONDON: Aptamer Group plc, a company that develops novel Optimer binders for the life sciences industry, has signed a deal with a biotech firm that makes genetic medicines.
The deal involves using Aptamer Group’s platform to discover Optimers that can target genetic medicines to specific cells. Aptamer Group will get up to £553,000 for this work, which is expected to finish within this year.
Optimers are synthetic molecules that can bind to new biomarkers and tissues with high affinity and selectivity. They are ideal for drug delivery, as they can penetrate tissues better and be precisely attached to therapeutic payloads.
Dr Arron Tolley, the Chief Technical Officer of Aptamer Group, said that this project will advance their drug delivery work and address the challenge of targeting oligonucleotide therapeutics beyond liver cells. He said that Optimers can enable precision-guided therapies and that Optimer-targeted therapies may be the future of targeted drug delivery.