Cracow houses a hidden gem of the biotechnology market – Selvita – which is one of the only Polish companies which has managed to make an impact on the elusive industry and enter the stage of clinical studies. Last year, the company has developed SEL24, which is a potential treatment for patients diagnosed with refractive acute myeloid leukaemia. Recently, the Selvita has announced a new project – SEL120 – which is currently in the final preclinical study phase.
SEL120 is a potential drug for treating some forms of leukemia, and tumors in the hematopoietic system. The project has caught the attention of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), which is the largest voluntary health organization working within the field. Located in New York and established in 1949, LLS is a veteran foundation “dedicated to funding research, finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients”. From the beginning of its existence, the organization has invested over $1 billion in research and development of potential treatments, and its yearly research fund has reached $50 million in 2016.
Selvita and LLS have initiated a partnership to co-fund further preclinical and clinical development of SEL120. As per the agreement, the foundation will invest up to $3.25 million over the period of 4 years, which Selvita will use to further their studies on the project, and launch a Phase I trial in treating acute myeloid leukemia.
Working with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is not only a true privilege, but also a solid proof of SEL120’s potential. The projects funded by LLS’s Therapy Acceleration Program go through a meticulous selection process which aims to pick not only commercially viable projects, but ones which will provide real benefits for patients. (…) This proves, that the SEL120 project has entered a truly elite group. – said dr. Krzysztof Brzózka, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer at Selvita.
A Phase I clinical trial is not the end-game ambition for Selvita – the company is planning to put SEL120 through Phase IIa, which means testing the product in terms of therapeutic value before making a sale. If everything goes according to plan, and SEL120 proves its true potential, Selvita will become the first Polish company to fully develop a treatment for terminally ill patients.
As SEL120’s success would be a truly historic moment for Polish Science, best of luck to Selvita in their future trials!
To find out more about the project, check out Selvita’s website.
