Lectus gains proof-of-concept data for LEPTICS candidates

Cambridge, UK-based drug discovery and development company Lectus Therapeutics has gained pivotal preclinical proof-of-concept data for one of its lead in-house programs. According to the firm, the results describe the discovery and characterization of its novel and readily differentiated class of voltage-gated potassium channel modulator compounds, small molecules which affect the function of ion channels via interaction with unique accessory proteins. Targeting accessory proteins has the potential to facilitate selective pharmacological control of specific ion channels and reduce side effects seen with existing, non-specific, ion channel drugs, Lectus noted.

The findings, which were presented at the 3rd annual Pain Conference, held in London, UK, included Lectus' first proof-of-concept data for such compounds in preclinical pain models of inflammatory and neuropathic hyperalgesia. According to the firm, these data represent a significant milestone and further highlight the value of its proprietary functional proteomics discovery platform, LEPTICS (Leveraged Enabling Proteomics Technology for Ion Channel Screening) and its unique approach to the discovery of the next-generation of ion channel drugs.