N4 Pharma Plc provided details of its work plan following the encouraging data from its oncology research as announced on 13 December 2021. The Board announced that the studies conducted with Nanomerics to evaluate the potential of Nuvec® as a nano-carrier of a DNA plasmid expressing TNFalpha ("TNF"), a cytokine with immune-modulating properties against tumours, demonstrated a significant inhibition of tumour growth derived from a human cell line. As a result of these positive findings, the company has commenced work with Medicines Discovery Catapult ("Catapult") to extend the observations to allow it to identify suitable loads to add to Nuvec® to take to clinic.

To date, the company has established that Nuvec® can deliver an appropriate biological load and this new study will help determine the mechanism of action that produced the tumor suppression. Amongst other things, it will seek to identify whether the Nuvec® loaded with TNF alpha was directly taken up by the tumour cells to produce the active TNF within the tumour or whether other organs such as the liver took up the Nuvec® and produced the TNF and released it systemically to suppress the tumour. If it can be demonstrated that Nuvec® can selectively deliver the plasmid to the tumour this may indicate the potential use of Nuvec® to deliver to tumours with a reduced systemic effect and inform the scope of any clinical studies or collaboration discussions.

In addition, studies will use labelled Nuvec® particles to allow the organ and tissue distribution of Nuvec® to be followed. The company is also in the process of identifying alternatives to TNF as immunomodulators or gene therapy which may use Nuvec® as a delivery system. The selection process is expected to conclude shortly and the company intends to conduct a study programme similar to the work being undertaken using TNF.