The use of NHSBT NCI products for therapeutic antibody development

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    The use of non-clinical issue products from NHSBT for the development of antibody therapeutics in fibrotic disease

  • IRAS ID

    354321

  • Contact name

    Ralph Minter

  • Contact email

    rminter@forthtx.com

  • Sponsor organisation

    Forth Therapeutics

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    5 years, 0 months, 0 days

  • Research summary

    The UK has seen a 4-fold increase in liver disease in the past 50 years and approximately 2 million people die worldwide annually. There are currently no approved anti-fibrotic therapies in liver fibrosis so new treatment options are desperately needed.

    Forth Therapeutics is focused on developing therapeutics for the treatment of liver disease. We are developing antibodies to deplete specific liver cell types which contribute to fibrosis. The work being carried out in Cambridge, UK will characterise antibodies for their ability to deplete specific cell types in the liver, thereby improving liver function.

    In particular we would like to use primary human immune cells from non-clinical issue products from NHSBT (e.g. leucocyte cones, whole blood) to test these antibodies and assess their function.

  • REC name

    Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    25/YH/0035

  • Date of REC Opinion

    14 Feb 2025

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion