London, UK – 17 January 2008:
Project with Targanta Therapeutics to look at antibiotic mode of action
The Bio Nano Centre (BNC) today announced that it has commenced its first commercial project with a major pharmaceutical client. The London-based specialist research and development consultancy is using its position as world-leaders in cantilever-array assay systems to analyse in greater detail the mechanism of action of oritavancin, a novel lipoglycopeptide antibiotic under development at US-based Targanta Therapeutics Corporation. This project builds on the BNC’s experience with other antibiotics.
Targanta Therapeutics is developing its lead antibiotic, oritavancin, for the treatment of serious gram-positive bacterial infections, including complicated skin and skin structure infections, or cSSSI, and bacteremia, a blood stream infection. Targanta Therapeutics expects to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the first quarter of 2008 seeking to commercialize oritavancin for the treatment of cSSSI.
Dr David Sarphie, CEO of the Bio Nano Centre said, “We are thrilled to be working with a company of the quality of Targanta Therapeutics and to assist them in advancing their understanding of the mechanism of action of this new antibiotic drug candidate. This further establishes the BNC as a leader in applying cantilever-array technology to the assessment of drug-target interaction. In addition, it further demonstrates the important role that the BNC plays in the rapidly expanding bio-nanotechnology sector.”
This is the second major commercial project that the BNC has undertaken since being incorporated in October 2007.
Notes for Editors:
About The Bio Nano Centre
The BNC is a specialist research and development consultancy operating in the convergent field of bio- nanotechnology. A joint venture of Imperial College London and University College London, the BNC is funded through the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) with additional support from the London Development Agency (LDA). Along with its partner organisation, the National Physical Laboratory, the BNC offers a service to the biomedical and healthcare industries in microsystems and nanotechnology. This encompasses design, 3-D modelling and visualisation, rapid prototyping, and characterisation.