(Vienna 08-06-2015) The Medical University is pleased to announce the execution of a license agreement with the Swedish investment fund Accequa AB. Accequa acquires exclusive rights to further develop the Medical Universities’ cyclotide technology into a therapy for the prevention and treatment of auto immune diseases like multiple sclerosis. Scientific results promise that cyclotides prevent autoimmune encephalomyelitis in an EAE mouse model for multiple sclerosis. Mice that were treated with a specific cyclotide did not develop clinical symptoms of EAE.
Accequa aims to develop and commercialise a peptide formulation for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Cylotides are macrocyclic plant peptides that have been isolated from many common plant families (for instance the coffee-, cucurbit-, violet- and potato plant families, as well as legumes and grasses) and hence constitute a diverse and large group of ribosomal peptides. Cyclotides exhibit extraordinary stability and hydrophobic surface features, optimal prerequisites for a peptide agent to be orally available and active.
Joint invention of Medical University of Vienna with the University Medical Center Freiburg
The technology was jointly developed by Christian Gruber from the Center for Physiology and Pharmacology of the Medical University of Vienna and his team, and Carsten Gründemann from the University Medical Center Freiburg. The research project was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project P24743.
The Medical University’s technology transfer office filed several patent applications for the technology and acquired a PRIZE grant from Austrian Wirtschaftsservice (AWS) for the development of prototypes.
» Research Group Christian Gruber