TECHNOLOGY
Sea4Us combines its core expertise in Marine Biology and Electrophysiology and focuses on compound library generation, drug discovery and preclinical development from marine substances and compounds. We screen such compounds against a number of therapeutic targets.
MARINE BIOLOGY
PHOTOGRAPHY João Rodrigues | CHIMERAVISUALS
Our discovery begins in the ocean: the interaction between species and their compounds’ bioactivities are the initial phase of our process of drug discovery. Millions of years of evolution on marine animals resulted in highly specialized and ingenious solutions for defense against predators, comprising compounds that have demonstrated a wide range of pharmacological properties.
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
PHOTOGRAPHY João Rodrigues | CHIMERAVISUALS
The elecrophysiological testing allows to assess neuronal bioactivity for each compound of our compound library as 0ur therapeutic targets are the ion channels involved in pathologies. After such validation, in silico and ex vivo assays are performed to assess toxicity levels.
METHODOLOGY
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DIVING AND SAMPLE COLLECTIONMarine ecosystems comprise a continuous resource of immeasurable chemical entities that have been optimized for bioactivity during millions of years of evolution. Sea4Us has its own diving team and our discovery begins in the ocean: the interaction between species and their compounds’ bioactivities are the initial phase of our process of the discovery.
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SPECIES IDENTIFICATIONThe collected species are properly identified. Ion channels represent important therapeutic targets for a broad range of unmet clinical needs. Our compound library derives from unique marine organisms, which are important sources of ion channel modulators. Here lies the inspiration of Sea4Us and its enormous potential for the discovery of new therapeutic compounds.
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LIBRARY OF MARINE EXTRACTSAs more marine compounds become purified and tested for their bioactivity, more important medical applications will inevitably be discovered.
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DRUG SCREENINGSea4Us specialises in electrophysiological testing in order to assess neuronal bioactivity for each compound of its library. We screen such compounds against a number of molecular targets (ion channels) such as NaV, KV, CaV and TRP channels. Such experimental screening is complemented by computational in silico analysis that tune the development of innovative molecules.
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CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION AND SYNTHESISBioactive molecules are identified by analytical chemistry methodologies and biotechnological and/or synthetic routes are established, making the processes of drug discovery, development and commercialization eco-friendly.
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IP PROTECTIONPatents for the new bioactive compounds (including variants), their modes of action and their syntheses methods are obtained.
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LEAD COMPOUND OPTIMIZATIONThe most promising molecules and variants are selected by analysis of their efficacy, toxicity and pharmacokinetics profiles, by in vitro, in vivo and in silico methodologies.
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PRE-CLINICAL VALIDATIONThe selected molecules are tested through more thorough in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo efficacy, toxicity and pharmacokinetics assays.
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CLINICAL TRIALSAfter passing all required preclinical tests, the new pharmaceutical drugs under development will enter clinical trials.
PIPELINE
development phase
therapeutic area
discovery
Preclinical trials
Clinical trials
– phase 1
Clinical trials
– phase 2
Neuropathic Pain
Inflammatory Pain
Cancer Pain
urology
immunology
infectious diseases
