Open Orphan launches infectious disease spinout

Clinical research organisation (CRO) Open Orphan has launched a spin-out organisation targeting the infectious disease market.

Biotech Poolbeg Pharma has been created in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and builds upon Open Orphan’s experience and knowledge of conducting human challenge trials for diseases such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2.

Poolbeg’s lead asset is a first-in-class, small molecule immunomodulator for severe influenza. POLB 001, as it’s known, is already positioned for phase II trials and if successful, Poolbeg states it can address unmet need for effective treatments against severe influenza.

Poolbeg enters the market with a number of data platforms that are designed to discover new therapies and predict diseases. The company’s Vaccine Discovery Platform takes data from the human challenge model in an effort to discover new vaccines. More so, its PredictViral Biomarker platform can be used to predict severe disease and potentially help guide parts of the industry on how infectious diseases are treated.

In the next 12 months Poolbeg plans to widen its portfolio and is looking to expand through the use of further AI data analysis platforms.

Poolbeg’s approach to the industry is to use a capital light business model, where it develops assets through to Phase II quickly with modest investment. If its therapies are successful, then the company will look into monetising them through licensing deals with larger pharmaceutical companies.

Speaking to EPM, Jeremy Skillington, CEO of Poolbeg Pharma said that the company’s focus is to develop “infectious disease therapies more efficiently and effectively.

“We believe our rapid drug identification and early development model brings considerable value for shareholders as it de-risks and advances programmes to make us a 'one-stop shop' for Pharma-partnering.“Poolbeg Pharma brings a differentiating, deep biological analysis of infectious disease progression to identify novel drug targets, reposition existing drug candidates and develop Phase II-ready assets faster. Our capital-light business model makes our platform for growth unique. We have a proven, streamlined method of identifying drugs to acquire then generating key clinical data around well-protected intellectual property. Plus we have access to Open Orphan's world-class scientific team with decades-long expertise in infectious disease," Skillington continued.

Cathal Friel, executive chairman of Open Orphan and non-executive chairman of Poolbeg Pharma said: "Poolbeg Pharma is a great opportunity to maximise the potential of some of Open Orphan's pharma assets which are non-core to our successful human challenge clinical trial business in a focused and capital efficient way.

"Poolbeg's approach to asset development should result in good licensing opportunities and excellent returns in a relatively short period of time with substantially less risk than the traditional biotech model and allow for regular investor newsflow. In addition, in Poolbeg we have assembled a leading management team, generated an exciting pipeline of potential acquisitions and entered advanced discussions with leading AI data analysis platforms to increase the attractiveness of the Company and its offering. Thus, I am confident and excited in the Company's prospects going forward and will be personally investing alongside incoming investors as part of the potential IPO.”

The creation of Poolbeg means that it is now the third company in financial investor Raglan Capital’s portfolio, following the launches of Amryt Pharma and Open Orphan.