about cytopia

Cytopia's mission is to develop targeted small molecule therapeutics for cancer. The company also aims to develop drugs for other diseases with unmet medical need including immune conditions, such as organ transplant rejection. Through its internal discovery and development expertise, Cytopia has devised a portfolio of drug candidates at various stages of formal development.

The company commenced operations in 1997 in Melbourne, Australia, and has developed world-class expertise in kinase enzyme biology and integrated a robust structural biology program with medicinal chemistry and drug development.

Cytopia's scientific team has to date successfully applied its proprietary technologies to identify and develop specific and potent inhibitors of various kinase targets, including the JAK kinases which were discovered by the company's founder, Dr Andrew Wilks while he was at the Ludwig Institute of Cancer Research.

Kinases play a critical role in multiple cell-signaling processes and are an exciting class of drug targets. This new class of drugs has the potential to achieve total sales measured in the tens of billions of dollars in markets which include solid tumours, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and a range of immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.

A number of internally developed drug candidates are currently undergoing preclinical assessment prior to entering formal development.

The company has concluded two Phase I safety and tolerability studies for its lead anticancer vascular disrupting agent (VDA), CYT997.

The company is also undertaking two Phase II efficacy studies. Cytopia opened its trial for CYT997 in relapsed glioma, an aggressive form of brain tumour, in September 2008. The company is also undertaking a Phase II study in multiple myeloma, a disorder of the bone marrow.

Subject to regulatory approval, Cytopia intends to commence a Phase I/II study for CYT387, its small molecule JAK2 inhibitor, in patients with myelofibrosis in late 2009.

In 2006, Cytopia signed a global license and research and development collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG to develop orally active drugs targeting JAK3 kinase for the prevention of transplant rejection and the treatment of multiple indications in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.