Oxford University spun out Circadian Therapeutics yesterday to commercialise research into the management of physiological and pathological disorders by tapping into the body’s circadian rhythm.
The spinout, established by tech transfer office Oxford University Innovaiton, is based on research conducted at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, the Department of Pharmacology and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. It has also received support from the Wellcome Trust.
Circadian Therapeutics has developed a range of drug candidates and is set to launch clinical trials, though a timeline has not been revealed. Additionally, the company is aiming to produce a home-based ambulatory EEG device to measure brain function and circadian rhythms.
The spinout has obtained £2m ($2.5m) in funding from university venturing fund Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI) to develop its lead pre-clinical candidate. It hopes to raise additional capital to drive proof-of-concept studies.
Zachary Yerushalmi, principal at OSI, said: “We see an imbalance between the fundamental role circadian rhythms play in our biology and the total lack of therapeutic interventions to address the problems caused by their misalignment.
“Backed by the best science and team in the world, Circadian Therapeutics has a fantastic shot at overcoming a challenge that affects all of us.”
