F2G, a spinout company from the University of Manchester, is set to partner with major Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co to commercialise a novel antifungal treatment. Olorofim has been developed by F2G to treat invasive aspergillosis and other rare mould infections.
Invasive aspergillosis is most commonly found in immunocompromised patients and existing therapies are often not effective for reasons such as poor tolerability, drug interactions or drug resistance, the University noted.
Olorofim works by exerting fungicidal activity through inhibition of the pyrimidine synthesis pathway, effectively starving the fungus until it dies. The University said it is the first novel antifungal class to be developed in the last 20 years and has awarded a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for multiple indications by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
F2G and Shionogi & Co will conduct clinical trials and registration in order to commercialise the treatment.
Professor David Denning, Professor of Infectious Diseases and Co-Founder of F2G, said, “The great hope for Olorofim is that it will be used to treat patients with serious invasive fungal disease where existing treatments are inappropriate or no longer effective. Clinical trials are ongoing. This provides hope to patients and doctors coping with these serious invasive fungal infections.”
Francesco Maria Lavino, Chief Executive Officer of F2G, commented: “By joining forces with Shionogi, we will be able to progress the development of Olorofim with a partner which has a proven track record in both global drug development and business development to effectively deliver a potentially life-saving therapy to patients globally.”
