OKYO Pharma Limited (LSE: OKYO) operates as a life sciences and biotechnology company in the United Kingdom. Its development program includes Chemerin for the treatment of ocular inflammation, dry eye disease, and ocular neuropathic pain; and BAM-8, a non-opiod analgesic. OKYO Pharma Limited is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
6. INFLAMMATION IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DYE EYE
Steroidogenesis Inflammation
Chem-9
Chemerin GPCR Signaling Pathway
• Chemerin acts as an agonist for GPR1 (Chem23)
receptor and activates proinflammatory pathways
through GPCR signaling
• Chemerin derived peptides inhibit the inflammatory
responses of active chemerin
• Therefore, Chemerin is an important target in
improving dry eye symptoms
10. IDENTIFICATION OF LEAD PEPTIDE
Using membrane-tethered ligand technology licensed from On Target
Therapeutics, a lead compound Chem-9 was identified which showed
efficacy greater than full-length protein.VehicleChemerin
Lead peptide Chem-9 improved the
dry eye symptoms in mice model
GPCRAnchor
Hydrophilic
loop
Peptide
11. TWO LEAD PEPTIDES WERE SELECTED FOR ANIMAL STUDIES
Peptide ID Lipid Linker Peptide sequence
Candidate 2
(Peptide 2)
PCS-33449-PI Palmitic acid γGlu-2X-OEG G-G-y-F-L-P-s-Q-F-a-tic-S
Candidate 3
(Peptide 3)
PCS-33450-PI Palmitic acid γGlu G-G-y-F-L-P-s-Q-F-a-tic-S
• Lead peptides were soluble in PBS at 1 mM
• Both the lead peptides were stable at 37 °C for 7 Days
• Peptide 1 was not selected for animal studies due to insolubility
12. EFFECT OF CHEMERIN ANALOGS ON CORNEAL PERMEABILITY IN DRY
EYE MOUSE MODEL
Dry Eye, no treatment
Dry Eye, after treatment
Lead Peptide Lipid Linker Peptide sequence
Chem9 Palmitic acid PEG-8 G-G-y-F-L-P-s-Q-F-a-tic-S
Typical condition
Navie
DED
Positice control
(CS)
Vehichle
Lead Peptide
Peptide 2
Peptide 3
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
ImageAnalysis
14. UVEITIS: AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE FOR
CHEM9/BAM8
Redness, blurry vision,
pain
Inflammatory response
(Autoimmunity, Infection,
exposure to toxins)
Current treatment
• Corticosteroid eye drops and injection
Long term use is not desirable
• Immunosuppressive agents
Requires regular blood tests to monitor side effects
Chem9/Bam8 could provide a safer alternative as an
anti-inflammatory treatment for uveitis
• Uveitis is an inflammatory disease
• It is the third leading cause of blindness worldwide
Healthy eye Uveitis eye
20. NON-OPIOID ANALGESICS FOR PAIN – R&D STRATEGY
Addiction of opioid medication has created worldwide opioid epidemic.
Bovine adrenal medulla (BAM8) peptides exhibit potent analgesic
activity. Therefore, BAM8 has potential to be developed as non-opioid
analgesics for pain
OKYO acquired Bam-8 peptide license from Tufts University. It could
be explored for following disease indications
Ocular Pain
Uveitis associated pain
Neuropathic chronic pain
In parallel, OKYO is exploring identification of novel Bam8 analogs to
other inflammatory diseases and expand IP portfolio
21. BAM8: AN AGONIST OF MAS-RELATED G PROTEIN-COUPLED
RECEPTOR (MRGPR)
• MRGPRs are expressed mainly in sensory neurons and are involved in the
perception of pain.
• Activation of MRGPR by Bam8 inhibits chronic pain.
Ca
mobilization
ERK/IkB
activation
G protein
Inflammation/Pain
22. LIPIDATED BAM 8 AND G2-MSH PEPTIDES LICENSED FROM TUFTS
UNIVERSITY
Bam 8-22 – VGRPEWWMDYQKRYG
• Lipidated BAM8 – VGRPEWWMDYQKRYGGGK – coupled to palmitic acid via PEG linker
• Claimed two amino acid modifications – M15A and Y17W
• g2-MSH – YVMGHFRWDRFG – coupled to palmitic acid via PEG linker
23. BAM8 - R&D STRATEGY
• Identify novel analogs
• Strengthen IP portfolio
BAM8
Keep same
VGRPEWWMDYQKRYGPalmitic
acid
PEG-8
Amino acid substitutions:
Single
Double
Fluorinated,
Unnatural amino acid
D-amino acids
Truncated Peptide
Cyclized Peptide
N-Methylation
Cell based
assays to
confirm
activity