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Tag: <span>Tuscany Region</span>

Lead Discovery SienaLDS BLOGTuscany Region

TLS Day 2019

LDS tells its story during the partnering day organised by Toscana Life Sciences

On 11 April 2019, TLS organised a day to support partnering and networking opportunities among the companies and research centers currently hosted by the bioincubator and working in the field of Life Sciences.

The Tuscany Region Vicepresident and Assessor for Culture, University and Research, Monica Barni, opened the working session, together with Andrea Paolini, TLS General Director, and Fabrizio Landi, TLS President.

Among the 25 speakers, Laura Maccari, LDS Project Manager, gave an update for LDS research activities and projects. Over than 120 participants were present, among which representatives and delegates from several pharma companies, scientific parks, investors and institutions.

It was an important opportunity to meet and share the current state of art and future perspectives for LDS as well as the other companies and research centres, which could pave the way towards new collaborations and synergies.

 

 

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LDS in the fight against West Nile Virus

Thanks to a collaboration with the University of Siena and CNR of Pavia, a novel strategy to fight West Nile Virus and other emergent viruses

Following their recent study that led to the identification of the first molecule able to inhibit the replication of several viruses (such as Hepatitis C, HIV, Dengue) through the action on a cellular enzyme (DDX3), the research groups coordinated by Prof. Maurizio Botta from the University of Siena and Dr. Giovanni Maga from the IGM-CNR Pavia, also in collaboration with Lead Discovery Siena and Prof. Giannecchini from the University of Florence, have developed a novel family of DDX3 inhibitors which have been shown to be efficacious to block the replication of West Nile virus in human cells, without any damage to healthy cells.

These molecules, with promising pharmacokinetic properties, pave the way for the formulation of an innovative class of drugs directed against West Nile virus and other emergent viruses. The research has been published on  the prestigious Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, published by the American Chemical Society.

West Nile virus is most commonly spread to people by the bite of infected mosquitoes that are also present in Italy where it is responsible for several infections each year, even with severe neurological complications. Moreover, this virus infects each year millions of persons all over the world. Despite continuous efforts being made to identify new drugs or vaccines, no specific therapy or prophylaxis is actually available on the market.

“Our approach – commented Prof. Botta and Dr. Maga – is highly innovative because exploits a cellular enzyme to block virus replication. Actually, it makes the cell an adverse environment for virus replication. Usually, antiviral drugs are directed against viral proteins which rapidly mutates and thus might become resistant to treatments. On the other side, our strategy is able to overcome this obstacle. Other viruses, such as Dengue and Zika, depend on DDX3 for their replication. Thus, our molecules could become broad spectrum antiviral therapeutic agents – not available so far – against emergent viruses. The good scientific research conducted in our Universities and at CNR has played a leading role in achieving such success. This work was made possible thanks to the precious economic support from Tuscany Region through the FAS Salute 2014 Grant (DD 4042/2014) and from First Health Pharmaceuticals B. V.”.

 

Published article on Journal Medicinal Chemistry

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LDS reaffirms commitment to fighting viral diseases: the PANVIR.NET Project

LDS is the leading institution in PANVIR.NET Project together with VisMederi Research srl, Accurange srl, Pharma Development and Services srl, University of Siena, University of Florence, and University of Pisa.

PANVIR.NET is co-financed in the framework of POR FESR Toscana 2014-2020, Azione 1.1.5 sub-azione a1; Bando 2 “Progetti di ricerca e Sviluppo delle PMI”

Objective of PANVIR.NET (Preclinical development of novel panviral agents within a specialized regional network) is to develop new therapies based on broad spectrum antiviral agents against those viruses currently responsible of outbreaks with a potential epidemic or pandemic evolution, thanks to a public-private network localized in Tuscany Region and able to guide and support the antiviral drug discovery and development process.

Recent demographic and climatic changes have caused a wider diffusion of arboviruses such as Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, West Nile, and novel influenza viruses subtypes, and an increased risk for novel infections or re-activation of persistent infections, such as erpetic infections from cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr, herpes simplex type -1 and -2 e varicella-zoster. Broad spectrum antiviral drugs  that target common components present in several viruses could represent a novel strategy to fight viral infections that are currently without any specific drugs, and to limit the selection of resistant viral strains.

Within PANVIR.NET, LDS and its partners aims to identify at least one novel preclinical candidate for the treatment of viral diseases. This will include the definition of all the tests and methods that are necessary to develop new antiviral drugs through the development and consolidation of a specialized regional network.

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PANVIR.NET è un Progetto co-finanziato nel quadro del POR FESR Toscana 2014-2020; Azione 1.1.5 sub-azione a1; Bando 2 “Progetti di ricerca e sviluppo delle MPMI”

Obiettivo di PANVIR.NET (Sviluppo preclinico di agenti PANVIRali innovativi all’interno di un NETwork regionale specializzato) è lo sviluppo di nuove terapie basate su agenti antivirali ad ampio spettro contro virus che sono causa di focolai con possibile andamento epidemico o pandemico, all’interno di un network pubblico-privato localizzato in Toscana in grado di supportare e guidare il percorso di sviluppo di farmaci antivirali.

Recenti cambiamenti demografici e climatici hanno portato ad una maggiore diffusione di arbovirus quali Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, West Nile, e nuovi sottotipi di virus influenzali, e ad un accresciuto rischio di nuove infezioni o di riattivazione di quelle persistenti, tra cui le infezioni erpetiche da citomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr, herpes simplex tipo -1 e -2 e varicella-zoster. Farmaci antivirali ad ampio spettro che bersagliano componenti comuni a più virus, rappresentano una strategia innovativa per contrastare infezioni virali per le quali non esistono farmaci specifici e limitare la selezione di varianti virali resistenti.

In PANVIR.NET, LDS ed i suoi partner intendono identificare almeno un candidato preclinico innovativo per il trattamento di malattie virali oltre a definire i test e le procedure necessarie allo sviluppo di nuovi farmaci antivirali, attaverso lo sviluppo e consolidamento di un network regionale specializzato.

Sostegno finanziario ricevuto dall’Unione: 672 708,97 €

 

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LDS at the “Innovation2Business” Workshop 2017

The second edition of the Innovation2Business event was held on November 7th, at the Obihall in Florence.

The I2B workshop has been organised by the Innovation Center of Intesa Sanpaolo, with the support of Confindustria Toscana, University of Florence, University of Pisa, Tuscany Region, and Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies to bring together start-up companies, innovative PMIs and big companies looking for new services and technologies, in order to link innovation supply and demand.

About 200 Tuscan companies attended the event. The business performance in 2017 confirms that Tuscany has undertaken a path of growth and development and the next challenges are all about the ability to exploit and consolidate the current positive framework to finally propose as a distinctive reality able to steer the country.

LDS participated in the workshop to present its activities, research projects, and scientific services within scheduled meeting sessions with potentially interested parties. It was a significant day to meet many other realities from the life sciences sector in Tuscany and also from the finance area. The actors were given the chance to exploit new potential collaborations and business opportunities.

The official program provided two slots dedicated to I2B meetings and a round table with the stakeholder to boost the innovation process in Tuscany. An intervention from the Production Activities, Credit, Tourism, and Commerce Regional Ministry finally ended the meeting.

For more details, download the brochure of the event.

 

 

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LDS at the TLS Day 2016

LDS has participated to the Toscana Life Sciences Day 2016, the annual event organized by the Foundation to promote the exchange and contamination of ideas, foster mutual knowledge and the confrontation among the companies and research groups hosted by TLS.

LDS gave a presentation to show its corporate and research activities, competences and platforms, to keep updated the other companies working in the Life Science area and identify potential common interests. It has been a great opportunity to strengthen the existing relationships and to build new potential collaborations with the several differing realities relating to TLS, from biotech to medical devices, medicinal chemistry, ICT, research services and nutraceutics.

 

 

Twenty companies participated to the event together with LDS, such as Pharma Integration, Liquidweb, T4All, egoHealth, Microbiotec, Exosomics Siena, CNR – IFC Siena, Fondazione NIBIT, Università di Siena – Dip. Scienze della Vita, Fondazione di Mario, Ebios Futura, TLS-Lab ERC, Kedrion, VisMederi, Bioscence Research Centre, Polo GGB, Epigen Therapeutics, Istituto Tumori Toscano, Università di Siena – Quantitative Neuroimaging Laboratory.

In this scenario, LDS is the only company working in the Medicinal Chemistry area by providing support to drug discovery projects.

At the end of the event, LDS Project Manager Laura Maccari gave an interview about the potential synergies of LDS with the other companies hosted by TLS.

FULL TLS DAY PROGRAM

 

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LDS presentation at the meeting with Enrico Rossi in TLS

Enrico Rossi, President of the Tuscany Region, visited Toscana Life Sciences (TLS) (www.toscanalifesciences.org) to meet the companies and the research groups that have located their activities in the spaces offered by the TLS bioincubator.

It was an important opportunity to show Rossi the main areas the companies are working on, their most recent achievements and perspectives.

At the end of the meeting, Rossi confirmed the interest of Tuscany Region to supporting TLS activities and announced the Region’s intention to establish in TLS the regional reference centre for the patenting in the Life Science sector.

Together with LDS, the following companies and research groups also participated to the event: VisMederi, Diesse, Kedrion, T4All, Pharma Integration, Polo GGB, Fondazione Umberto Di Mario, Externautics, Epigen Therapeutics, Fondazione NIBIT, Istituto Toscano Tumori, CNR.

During the meeting, Laura Maccari, LDS Project Manager, gave an overview of LDS activities, including both services in drug discovery and the development of internal research projects. LDS is the only PMI working in the Medicinal Chemistry area currently hosted at TLS.

http://www.toscanalifesciences.org/it/2016/02/rossi-in-visita-allincubatore-tls-punto-di-riferimento-regionale-per-le-scienze-della-vita/

 

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LDS wins the first prize at “Start Cup Toscana” 2009

Start Cup Tuscany is a competition that rewards the best entrepreneurial initiatives with high technological content coming from the research community, and offers the possibility to develop an idea into business by providing support to training activities, business plan production, and prize money. The competition is organized by Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa in collaboration with other Tuscan Universities and the support from Tuscany Region. Start Cup Tuscany represents the regional phase of the National Award for Innovation, which is the most important Italian competition for business projects developed by students and researchers in academia.

In 2009, Lead Discovery Siena participated to the competition as an entrepreneurial idea to be developed into a reality and won the first prize of Stat Cup Toscana. LDS presented a business plan about the constitution of an academic spin off providing research services for drug discovery, also aimed at identifying, developing and patenting new drugs, their synthesis and the computational models used for their design.

The idea was considered to be original, feasible, ambitious, with great potentialities in terms of development with respect to the relevant market area, and to be supported by a competent and appropriate management team. The overall plan was appropriately presented and supported.

http://startcup.ilonova.eu/it/albo-doro

 

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