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28 August 2024
Graft Polymer (UK) Plc
(the "Company")
Substantial progress in Awakn
collaboration
Identification of lead
series, selection of Charnwood Discovery as synthesis partner, and
new patent filing
Graft Polymer (UK) Plc (LON: GPL),
an innovative healthcare services company, is pleased to report
substantial progress in its collaboration with Awakn Life Sciences
Corp. (CSE: "AWKN", OTCQB: AWKNF) ("Awakn"), details of which were
announced on 18 July 2024.
The collaboration focuses on
developing a new class of therapeutics for the potential treatment
of trauma-related mental health disorders, such as Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder ("PTSD"), which affects approximately 13 million
adults in the U.S. and 20 million collectively in the US and other
key international markets.
Recent progress includes:
· Lead chemical series
identified: Awakn has successfully
identified two aminoindane chemical series as co-leads for further
development. These series represent a promising new class of
compounds with the potential to improve treatment options for
trauma-related mental health disorders such as PTSD. The selection
of these lead candidates is a pivotal step in the drug development
process.
· Synthesis pathways
defined: Awakn has also successfully
established synthesis pathways for these compounds. This
achievement is crucial, as it enables efficient and scalable
production of the drug candidates, which will be essential as the
collaboration moves towards more advanced pharmacological
testing.
· Charnwood Discovery selected
as synthesis partner: Awakn has
selected Charnwood Discovery, a respected UK-based provider of drug
discovery services, as its synthesis partner. The selection of
Charnwood Discovery, known for its technical expertise, ensures
that the synthesis process will be conducted to a high
standard.
· New provisional patent
filed: On 27 August 2024, Awakn
filed a provisional patent application with the US Patent and
Trademark Office, covering a new class of aminoindane chemical
entities and their derivatives. This provisional patent has been
incorporated into the scope of the commercial collaboration
agreement between the Company and Awakn. This filing strengthens
the intellectual property portfolio underpinning the Graft
Polymer-Awakn collaboration, further reinforcing the Company's
competitive edge in the biopharmaceutical market.
Anthony Tennyson, CEO, Graft Polymer (UK) Plc,
commented:
"We are thrilled with the
progress made in our collaboration with Awakn. The identification
of the lead chemical series and the filing of a new patent
significantly advance our goal of developing transformative
therapies for trauma-related mental health disorders such as
PTSD.
"These developments not only validate the scientific strength
of the partnership but also position us well for the next stages of
development. The addition of Charnwood Discovery as our synthesis
partner further ensures that we are on the right path towards
bringing these promising compounds to market."
Enquiries:
Graft Polymer (UK) Plc
Anthony Tennyson, CEO and Executive Director.
anthonytennyson@graftpolymer.co.uk
Allenby Capital (Broker) +44
(0) 20 3328 5656
Nick Naylor
/ Liz Kirchner (Corporate Finance) | Guy McDougall
(Sales)
About Graft Polymer (UK) Plc
Graft Polymer (UK) Plc is an
innovative healthcare services company dedicated to helping
biopharmaceutical companies specializing in central nervous system
disorders enhance the effectiveness of
their therapeutics.
For more information, please visit
www.graftpolymer.co.uk.
About Awakn Life Sciences Corp.
Awakn Life Sciences Corp. is a
clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics for
substance use and mental health disorders. Awakn's near-term focus
is on Alcohol Use Disorder, a condition affecting approximately 29
million adults in the US and approximately 40 million in
international markets. Awakn's goal is to provide therapeutics to
addiction sufferers; commercialising Awakn's R&D pipeline
across multiple channels.
For more information, please visit
awaknlifesciences.com