Jeremy Skillington of Poolbeg Pharma discusses the Artificial Intelligence deal signed with OneThree Biotech

Jeremy Skillington, CEO of Poolbeg Pharma #POLB discusses an agreement with OneThree Biotech, a biology-driven artificial intelligence company, to identify new drug targets and treatments for Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Highlights

Under the terms of the transaction and as aligned with Poolbeg's strategy, OneThree Biotech's state-of-the-art AI analysis tools will identify drug assets which target immune-response pathways, have a higher probability of clinical success and have the potential to prevent and / or treat infectious diseases. The analysis will prioritise drugs with existing Phase I safety data, reducing spend and risk, which can feed into Poolbeg's rapid, capital light clinical development strategy and its expanding pipeline of assets. The analysis is expected to commence in Q1 2022 with preliminary outputs from this work expected in H2 2022.

OneThree Biotech is a clinically validated AI company with a proven technology platform which integrates chemical, biological, and clinical data with cutting-edge computational tools to answer complex questions surrounding disease biology and drug discovery. The team at OneThree will work closely with Poolbeg's scientific team to build a tailored AI analysis model which can leverage the unique insights of human challenge trial data to identify disease-relevant cell signalling pathways which could lead to novel drug targets. OneThree will receive milestone payments based on candidate development and royalties on the sale of products derived from this partnership. 

The Company believe that this partnership with OneThree Biotech is the first time that AI analysis has been undertaken on RSV human challenge trial data and samples to identify new drug targets. The unique nature of human challenge trials to produce disease progression data with high precision is expected to revolutionise the insights generated from this analysis. Poolbeg's lead asset POLB 001, which is progressing towards its first human challenge trial in June 2022, was identified using such disease progression data. However, by utilising AI the Company aims to identify more targets, quicker and more cost efficiently than previously possible without this technology.  

About Poolbeg Pharma

Poolbeg Pharma (AIM:POLB) is a clinical stage infectious disease pharmaceutical company with a capital light clinical model which is developing multiple products faster and more cost effectively than the conventional biotech model. The Company, headquartered in London, is led by a team with a track record of creation and delivery of shareholder value and aspires to become a "one-stop shop" for Big Pharma seeking mid-stage products to licence or acquire.

The Company is targeting the growing infectious disease market which has become one of the fastest growing pharma markets and is expected to exceed $250bn by 2025.

Poolbeg has access to extensive knowledge, experience, and clinical data from over 20 years of human challenge trials through Open Orphan plc, an industry leading infectious disease and human challenge trials business. The Company is using these insights to acquire new assets as well as reposition clinical stage products, reducing spend and risk. 

The Company continues to rapidly expand its portfolio of assets which currently includes POLB 001, a small molecule immunomodulator for severe influenza. POLB 002, a first-in-class, intranasally administered RNA-based immunotherapy for respiratory virus infections and POLB 003, an intramuscular Melioidosis vaccine. The Company is also developing an oral vaccine delivery platform as well as progressing its AI powered drug discovery program to identify drug targets and treatments using its disease progression data.