Novare Pharmaceuticals, which is developing therapeutic products that modulate the Receptor for Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility (RHAMM), is pleased to announce a research and licensing agreement with Lawson Health Research Institute that includes the creation of an incubator focused on potential treatments for major diseases, including arthritis, breast cancer, and lung fibrosis.

“Novare’s funding is critical in the current environment of reduced traditional funding sources for validation of early-stage research and discovery”

The Novare research incubator in the city of London, Ontario, Canada is being led by Dr. Eva Turley, Chief Scientist at Novare and a global leader in RHAMM research as a Professor in the Department of Oncology, Western University, and Scientist in the London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre. She is joined by Dr. Leonard Luyt, who is an Assistant Professor in the same university oncology department as well as a Principal Investigator in the cancer program, and who is assisting with the development of proprietary peptides being used in Novare’s drug development programs.

“Our agreement with Lawson allows us to bring together the top minds in the field of RHAMM, providing us with a unique opportunity to go after major disease states,” said Michael Delmage, Chief Executive Officer of Novare. “Combining Novare’s business acumen in drug development, regulatory approval and quality assurance with the translational science expertise, infrastructure and facilities at Lawson will help to ensure that this research focuses on finding benefits for real patients fighting real diseases.”

Novare is investigating the modulation of RHAMM, a cellular protein that helps to regulate cell movement and stem cell differentiation. Therapeutic products that control RHAMM aim to safely and selectively stimulate cell differentiation as well as reduce destructive inflammation and scarring inherent in diseases such as lung fibrosis and arthritis. Other potential applications include breast cancer, scarless healing for burns and post-surgical wounds, and the regeneration of breast tissue after a mastectomy.

“The Lawson and Novare partnership serves as an inspiring and much-needed model for the development of early-stage technologies from academic health research organizations,” said Dr. Turley. “The partnership with Novare helps Lawson fulfill its mandate to translate healthcare discoveries from the lab to the patient.”

Lawson Health Research Institute is the research institution of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. The group of more than 1,600 investigators, technicians and support staff collaborate to advance scientific knowledge related to healthcare topics such as aging, cancer and neurological disorders.

“Novare’s funding is critical in the current environment of reduced traditional funding sources for validation of early-stage research and discovery,” said Kirk Brown, Manager for Business Development at Lawson. “The partnership with Novare has also allowed us to create new jobs for our community, bolstering our efforts to create economic, as well as medical, benefits from our research.”

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Source: Business Wire