Nexpep is an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing a treatment for coeliac disease and a set of diagnostic and monitoring tools to manage patient health. Nexpep’s treatment is a desensitisation therapy using a series of peptides which target the different genetic forms of coeliac disease. This peptide based immunotherapy is designed to desensitise the patient’s immune system to gluten toxic peptides.
This treatment approach to an immune disease is not unique, and there is sufficient evidence of desensitisation in other disorders. This approach may lead Nexpep to expand it’s development into therapies for other autoimmune disorders in the future. Nexpep is in a unique position, holding the relevant patents to diagnostics and treatments utilising the gluten peptides recognised by T cells in coeliac disease. No other group or company is pursuing peptide immunotherapy for coeliac disease.
Nexpep’s main product, Nexvax2, is a unique immune-focussed therapy for coeliac disease. The aim of Nexvax2 is to desensitise a coeliac disease patient’s immune system to gluten so that a state of “gluten tolerance” is achieved - analagous to traditional desensitisation regimens for several allergic diseases. Nexvax2 is comprised of select gluten fragments called peptides, and it is envisaged that Nexvax2 would be administered as a series of injections. A study to test the safety of Nexvax2 (phase 1 trial) is well underway (see: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00879749), with results expected in the middle of 2010. The main aim of this early trial is to determine the safety of Nexvax2 in people with coeliac disease. Additional studies will be performed on Nexvax2 to establish the optimal dose and how effective it is.
As more information becomes available it will be posted on our website. If you would like more information about Nexpep Pty Ltd please contact Nexpep CEO Dr Bob Anderson. Visit our website http://www.nexpep.com
Nexpep’s research and development program was performed at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne, Australia, under a collaborative research agreement between Nexpep, WEHI and the Royal Melbourne Hospital / Melbourne Health.