From Lactocore With Love – An Intranasal Peptide Therapy Candidate For Mental Health
Seeks $5.5m Funding
Executive Summary
US-based biotech Lactocore is developing novel peptides derived from milk as potential treatments for psychiatric, metabolic and cognitive disorders ranging from anxiety and Parkinson’s to obesity and diabetes. CEO and co-founder Anton Malyshev talks to Scrip on the assets, funding and more.
Naturally occurring peptides help our bodies fight bacteria and promote wound healing, with creatine and collagen peptides boosting muscle growth or repair. It’s not surprising then, that therapeutics derived from peptides have been gaining currency as safe and effective alternatives to synthetic drugs.
US-based Lactocore group, with operations in Russia too, has identified certain milk peptides, through a proprietary technology platform, that it aims to develop as treatments for psychiatric, metabolic and cognitive disorders ranging from anxiety and Parkinson’s to obesity and diabetes.
With intra-nasal dosage forms, the company hopes to reduce the physical discomfort and hassle of hospital/clinic visits patients currently undergo for intracutaneous administration of injections.
In an interview with Scrip, CEO Anton Malyshev, who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience, spoke about the lead asset LCGA-17 which is at the pre-Investigational New Drug stage and has potential for indications in mental health like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The start-up co-founder also mentioned plans to raise $5.5m in funds from venture capital and angel investors apart from detailing techniques used by the company to address intrinsic weaknesses of naturally occurring peptides like poor chemical and physical stability and a short circulating plasma half-life.
Time Stamps
0:11 Introduction
0:44 An idea is born
3:22 $3.5m seed round funding, plans to raise $5.5m
6:23 Has Theranos impacted the image of start-ups?
8:06 Milk peptide benefits, production techniques
11:47 Potential markets, regulatory environment
15:17 LCGA-17, CHM-273, LCGM-10 Assets
24:39 Addressing peptide stability and half-life
27:36 Partners for CMC supplies, toxicity, PK/PD studies
33:03 Phase I trial plans for lead compound
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