C4XD, a spin-out of Manchester University, has signed a research collaboration agreement with pharmaceutical firm Evotex to tackle stress related addictive disorder. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
C4XD has been developing a drug discovery platform to produce inhibitors for the orexin-1 receptor in the brain, associated with addictive disorders for alcohol, nicotine, and prohibited narcotics. Research in the area has been cumbersome due to drugs also inhibiting orexin-2 receptors, which regular biorhythms and alertness. C4XD is looking to produce a drug which can target orexin-1 without triggering orexin-2’s sedative side effects.
Piers Morgan, CEO of C4XD, said: “Through this collaboration with Evotec, we expect our novel biological discoveries and medical insights will be effectively and efficiently progressed into a state-of-the-art drug discovery and development programme. The collaboration is already demonstrating the benefit of an alliance in accelerating drug discovery projects.”
