Yorkshire biotech firm reveals 'magic bullet' treatment hope for liver fibrosis

The company has now annoaunced a “significant milestone” in its liver fibrosis research. It said it has identified and validated a novel molecular target, advancing its potential to deliver targeted gene therapy to specific liver cells. It said its treatment can act like a “magic bullet” to target a protein in scarred livers and potentially reduce or reverse problems for sufferers.

Liver scarring, known as fibrosis, affects millions worldwide and can progress to severe conditions like cirrhosis, liver failure, and cancer, with no current treatments able to reverse the damage.

Aptamer is now looking to conduct further studies and engaging in “ongoing discussions” with major pharmaceutical companies to conduct parallel studies. .

Dr Arron Tolley, Chief Executive Officer of Aptamer Group, said "This milestone marks a major step forward in our mission to develop new treatments for liver fibrosis.

"By identifying a novel target for delivering gene therapy to the cells causing liver scarring, Aptamer has strengthened the Optimer platform's value for our pharmaceutical partners. The laboratory results showing reduced scarring highlight the potential of this approach, and our plans for outsourced animal studies, alongside ongoing talks with big pharma, position us to accelerate development. This success underscores Aptamer's leadership in targeted drug delivery, opening doors to a significant market opportunity.

"The Optimer platform showed high selectivity for scarred liver tissue in lab tests, with no unwanted effects on healthy cells, and is designed to work with a range of RNA therapeutics, enhancing its commercial potential. This milestone positions Aptamer to capitalise on the growing demand for precision therapies in the multi-billion-dollar fibrosis market."