Collaboration will exploit U.S. firm’s hamster, rat, and mouse models of disease.
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum and Biomodels are teaming up for a research project that ultimately aims to develop a clinical screening platform to define mucositis risk in patients undergoing conditioning regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT). The project will be funded by Swedish Orphan, which says the development of assays that enable a personalized medicine approach is an ideal strategic fit with its mission to develop medicines for rare diseases.
Biomodels has experience with a range of oral mucositis models and has exclusive rights to the hamster models developed at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital by Stephen T. Sonis, Biomodels’ CMO, as well as rat and mouse models.
Oral mucositis is a frequent and debilitating complication of conditioning regimens prior to HSCT. As a result, an assay that could accurately determine which patients will need mucositis intervention associated with HSCT would be a benefit.
“We are enormously excited to work with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum to apply our novel approach for patients undergoing aggressive cancer therapy,” comments Dr. Sonis. “We are optimistic that as a consequence of this project, patients undergoing HSCT will be able to receive targeted therapies to reduce the burden of these symptoms.”
