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Anaxomics research developments
Network and systems biology offer a novel way of approaching drug discovery by developing models that consider the global physiological environment of protein targets, and the effects derived of tinkering with them, without losing the key molecular details. In Anaxomics, we are participating in several private and publicly funded research projects to apply recent advances in the fields of network and systems biology to human health.
In particular, we are exploring several ways by which network biology can play a central role in the development of novel polypharmacology strategies to fight complex multi-factorial diseases, where efficacious therapies will need to centre on bringing down entire pathways rather than single proteins.
In addition, we are also actively working on new developments in the two fields were we believe network and system biology strategies are more likely to have an immediate contribution: predictive toxicology and drug repurposing.
Anaxomics has been granted numerous public R&D grants to collaborate with Academia and Biotech consortiums for the discovery of new drugs for several diseases.
1. Assessment of Structural Requirements in Complement-Mediated Bactericidal Events:
Towards a Global Approach to the Selection of New Vaccine Candidates - BacAbs
2. Identification of Secondary Targets and Design of New Drugs for Age-Associated Diseases by:
Means of Structural and Functional Analysis of Biological Pathways.
3. Identification and Validation of Novel Drug Targets in Gram-Negative Bacteria by:
Global Search: a Trans-System Approach - AntiPathoGN
Anaxomics Scientific Advisors are prominent in the Systems Biology arena.
Some of our most recent papers are:
1. Pujol A., Mosca R., Farrés J & Aloy P.
"Unveiling the role of network and systems biology in drug discovery".
Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2010 Mar;31(3):115-123
"Network and systems biology offer a novel way of approaching drug discovery by developing models that consider the global physiological environment of protein targets, and the effects of modifying them, without losing the key molecular details.
Here we review some recent advances in network and systems biology applied to human health , and discuss how they can have a big impact on some of the most interesting areas of drug discovery. In particular, we claim that network biology will play a central part in the development of novel polypharmacology strategies to fight complex multifactorial diseases, where efficacious therapies will need to center on altering entire pathways rather than single proteins.
We briefly present new developments in the two areas where we believe network and system biology strategies are more likely to have an immediate contribution: predictive toxicology and drug repurposing."
2. Pache R.A., Zanzoni A., Naval J., Mas, J.M & Aloy P.
"Towards a molecular characterisation of pathological pathways".
FEBS Lett. 2008 Apr 9; 582(8):1259-65
"The dominant conceptual reductionism in drug discovery has resulted in many promising drug candidates to fail during the last clinical phases, mainly due to a lack of knowledge about the patho-physiological pathways they are acting on.
Consequently, to increase the revenues of the drug discovery process, we need to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying complex cellular processes and consider each potential drug target in its full biological context.
Here, we review several strategies that combine computational and experimental techniques, and suggest a systems pathology approach that will ultimately lead to a better comprehension of the molecular bases of disease."
