This potential treatment option is very exciting because it highlights the enormous potential of creative chemical approaches for tackling some of the most challenging and pressing public health needs.”
27 July 2022
Drug treatment for triple negative breast cancer
King's research into breast cancer treatment moves to in-licensing
Research led by Professor Martin Ulmschneider, Professor of Computational Chemistry and the incoming Head of the Department of Chemistry at King’s into the treatment of triple negative breast cancers has shown promising signs in an evaluation carried out by biotechnology company, ValiRx PLC.
The evaluation stage of drug development involves a rigorous scientific assessment by the company to understand and demonstrate the action of potential drugs on illnesses before moving to in-licensing. ValiRx announced on 13 July that the treatment showed good evidence of effectiveness and the company is entering an agreement with King’s to move to the next stage of development.
Therapeutiic peptides are a relatively new treatment for cancer, Martin’s research studies how peptides and proteins interact with cellular membranes and carry out their biological functions. His research group uses both computational and experimental techniques to reveal the molecular mechanisms and atomic detail interactions driving membrane active peptide and protein function in biological lipid bilayers, as well as to design and optimise synthetic membrane active peptides for biomedical applications.
Commenting on his research and the outcomes of the evaluation, Martin said:
The Department of Chemistry is known for its work on the chemistry of life. We work closely with a range of academic, health and industry partners and welcome this new spin out as one of the first based on our research.
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Head of Department of Chemistry