Astellas and KEK to collaborate on tropical disease research

Astellas has agreed an alliance with Japan's High Energy Accelerator Research Organization – also known as KEK – that will utilise synchrotron X-ray crystallography to research new therapies for neglected tropical diseases.

The research will use this cutting-edge technology to assess the three-dimensional structure of parasitic protozoan proteins that are potential drug targets, meaning inhibiting compounds that block the action of these proteins can be developed.

Following this initial phase, the organisations will carry out structural analysis of target proteins in tandem with the inhibitory compound, using crystallisation robots and dedicated beamlines developed by KEK.

Targeted diseases include infectious and deadly conditions such as leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and sleeping sickness.

"Structural data obtained through the successful application of this collaborative research will contribute to the discovery of new drugs for the treatment of parasitic protozoan diseases," said an Astellas statement.

Earlier this month, the company published positive data from two real-world trials of Qutenza, its treatment for peripheral neuropathic pain.