30 September 2013

NEOMED is starting its first drug development project with three researchers from the Institut de pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Université de Sherbrooke and the Centre de recherche clinique Étienne-Le Bel (CRCELB – clinical research centre) of CHUS.

Dr. Martin Richter, Dr. Richard Leduc, Dr. Éric Marsault, and their teams will assist with the project, whose goal is to develop a new class of antivirals to prevent the multiplication of the influenza virus that causes the flu in humans. NEOMED will invest $1.2 million in the project over one year.

» See all the photos from the press conference

“This project is unique in its innovative therapeutic approach and has excellent market potential,” pointed out Dr. Fehlmann, NEOMED’s President and CEO.

“Our new therapeutic approach targets a human enzyme rather than a viral enzyme, which should make it possible to prevent the virus from resisting the drug,” explained Dr. Richter.

The first human clinical trials outlined in the development plan are scheduled to take place in the next five years.

It should be noted that influenza causes between 250,000 and 500,000 deaths every year.

The project was announced at the Sherbrooke International Life Sciences Summit.

Sources: NEOMED, Université de Sherbrooke and La Tribune