Highlights

• Natural killer (NK) cells are bone marrow derived lymphocytes that constitute a key frontline defence against a range of hazardous conditions including viral infection and tumour transformation.
• Recombinant killer proteins are effective against various antigens involved in a variety of diseases
• This novel treatment focuses on the receptor itself - no need to find specific antibody for each disease
• The existing market for antiviral drugs for influenza already exceeds $2 billion a year

Our Innovation

• Active fragments or the entire protein of the natural killer cytotoxicity receptors NKp44 and NKp46 that are effective in targeting virus-infected cells, tumour cells, and pancreatic beta cells.

Key Features

• Do not bind to normal cells except for pancreatic beta cells
• Can be used for virus-infected cells or tumour cells where receptor is unknown
• Very specific for pancreatic beta cells, so may be used to determine beta cell mass in diabetes treatment
• Development Milestones
• Seeking partners for clinical trials

Development Stage 

• Good in vivo results; ready for clinical trials in humans
  

The Opportunity

• The total global market for antiviral drugs was expected to reach $13.9 billion in 2006.
• The market for cancer drugs to reach $50 billion a year in 2010.
• WHO predicts 300 million diabetics by 2025; the global diabetes market is expected to exceed $21 billion by 2011.

PCT publication number: WO 2005/000086