Overview

Founded in 1988 around a core glycobiology platform, Oxford GlycoSciences says it has “successfully integrated proteomics with genomics to create an innovative, proprietary drug discovery platform that allows the systematic separation, identification and characterization of proteins on an industrial scale.”

Oxford’s goal is to use that platform to develop products and build a pipeline of small-molecule and antibody drug and diagnostic products based on a portfolio of patent applications relating to, or to the use of, disease-associated proteins, as well as providing proteomics services and data to clients.

Oxford has filed patent applications concerning several thousand proteins associated with diseases; it is using those proteins to build a pipeline of drug candidates and diagnostic products.

It has focused its internal small-molecule drug discovery efforts on selected carbohydrate-processing enzymes, for which it has established and conducted high-throughput screens.

In addition to its proteomics platform, the company has experience in the field of glycobiology, providing it with another source of protein targets for discovering drug candidates to treat such conditions as cancer, infectious diseases and glycolipid storage diseases. Its most advanced drug candidate, Vevesca, is a small molecule for the oral treatment of Gaucher’s disease.

In August 2001, Oxford completed the submission of its new drug application to the FDA for Vevesca (formerly OGT 918), its oral treatment in development for Type I Gaucher’s disease. The product was granted fast-track status and the rolling application was started in March 2001; the FDA accepted the filing in October. The company’s marketing authorization application for the product was accepted for review by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products in July 2001.

Partners

Oxford has had collaborations with biotechnology companies, that include Cambridge Antibody Technology plc, Genmab A/S, Incyte Genomics Inc., Medarex Inc. and Neogenesis Inc.; and with pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline plc, Merck & Co. Inc., Packard BioScience Co., PE Biosystems, Pfizer Inc. and Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc.

Other alliances include Marconi plc, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., the Institute for Systems Biology and other research scientists.