From imb.uq.edu.au
An important new psoriasis medicine developed under a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson and University of Queensland (UQ) spin-out Protagonist Therapeutics has received approval for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The new drug, icotrokinra, will be marketed as ICOTYDE.
Protagonist was launched from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) in 2001 to pioneer the development of new oral peptide drugs for hard-to-treat conditions. ICOTYDE was jointly discovered by Protagonist and JNJ scientists. The Protagonist team included members of Protagonist’s embedded research team at IMB.
“I believe this is a life-changing drug for people with this debilitating condition,” said Greg Bourne, the head of Protagonist’s IMB research team. “The science we undertake in Australia, and here at IMB, can transform lives around the world.”
Protagonist founder Professor Mark Smythe added, “These diseases affect millions of people around the world, and currently, most advanced treatments are through injection. But we also know 75 percent of people don’t like needles, especially children, so this oral drug brings targeted treatment and safety expectations with the gentleness and convenience of a once-daily pill.”
Professor Smythe held several executive positions at Protagonist until 2022, when he stepped down to become Chief Executive Officer of Infensa Bioscience Pty Ltd.
Medical milestone
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition causing inflamed skin patches that affects an estimated 60 - 125 million people worldwide. Millions of people suffer from moderate to severe forms that can have deep physical, social and psychological impacts.
IMB Executive Director Professor Ian Henderson said what it means for those patients is what makes the FDA approval so exciting.
“ICOTYDE offers a convenient, once-daily treatment for those living with psoriasis, and it paves the way for further research into oral therapeutics for other immune-mediated conditions,” Professor Henderson said.
“It highlights the power of collaborative research, reinforces IMB’s reputation as a powerhouse of scientific innovation and positions Australia as a global leader in next-generation therapeutics. Our researchers are accelerating innovation through industry partnerships to tackle diseases with high unmet needs, reaching global markets to improve the lives of millions worldwide.”
ICOTYDE is under additional assessment for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases.
IMB Translation Director, Professor Mark Blaskovich, said “Australia has played an important role in many important medical advancements, including cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil and the discovery that bacteria Helicobacter pylori causes ulcers. We’re very proud of the contribution the IMB made to ICOTYDE as well.”
Protagonist, headquartered in the US with additional research operations at IMB, is one of 20 companies launched by IMB, and one of more than 136 companies originating from UQ intellectual property.
Protagonist, in partnership with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, is also seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for another drug, rusfertide, another drug developed from Protagonist’s peptide platform to treat polycythemia vera, a form of blood cancer.
https://imb.uq.edu.au/article/2026/04/life-changing-psoriasis-pill-gets-fda-approval
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