The TOLi-discovery platform

In Biozep we are using advanced synthetic and biochemical methods to optimize the structure of polyunsaturated fatty acids to make them more target selective, more potent and improve their metabolic stability. This drug optimization has resulted in novel drug substances which can be used in the treatment of a variety of metabolic, inflammatory and age-related diseases. Because of their natural origin, their toxic effects are negligible compared to fully synthetic drug molecules, making them superior candidates for long dosing regimens in the treatment of chronic disease.

Focus on eye diseases

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​In Biozep we have identified ophthalmic diseases as a particularly interesting therapeutic area for our drug concept. The rationale for this decision was based on the fact that natural polyunsaturated lipids have shown therapeutic effects in many animal models of eye diseases (e.g. dry eye disease and uveitis). In these studies, the fatty acids were administered either systemically or as eye drops. Despite  promising results from pre-clinical animal models, there are no drug products on the market based on polyunsaturated molecules for treatment of ophthalmic diseases.

Biozep has an ongoing drug discovery program to design polyunsaturated molecules for ophthalmic therapy. We have identified polyunsaturated fatty acid receptors which regulate metabolism and inflammation in the eye, and we have established a novel screening platform to identify drug substances with affinity to these receptors. Through our TOLi-discovery platform we have identified a lead candidate which we believe can be used to treat chronic inflammatory eye diseases. The hypothesis is strongly backed by data showing that our lead candidate inhibit the NF-kB signalling pathway and protect different cell types from damage caused by oxidative stress.