ATXA is a UCD spin-out that is developing small molecule drugs to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension.
NovaUCD has announced the recipients of its annual Innovation Awards for 2024, highlighting the successes among the University College Dublin research, innovation and entrepreneurial community.
A total of seven awards were issued, with Prof Therese Kinsella – founder and CEO of ATXA Therapeutics – receiving the main NovaUCD Innovation Award. This award recognises excellence in innovation or of success in the commercialisation of UCD research.
The UCD spin-out is working to develop small molecule drugs to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, in order to improve treatment options for these patients.
“It is indeed a great honour for me to accept this award from UCD both personally and on behalf of everyone on the ATXA team who have been part of our success journey so far,” Kinsella said.
Kinsella added that the company is working towards commencing Phase II clinical trials to further demonstrate the effectiveness of its lead candidate drug – NTP42. Earlier this year, the company successfully completed a bridging clinical trial testing a novel oral capsule of NTP42 in men and women.
“Depending on securing approval from the EMA and FDA regulatory agencies, as well as the necessary inward investment, the Phase II trials are due to run from 2025 through to late 2026,” Kinsella said.
In 2022, ATXA was one of three Irish companies backed by Enterprise Ireland that received a total of €24.3m in funding from an EU accelerator programme.
Other Innovation Award recipients include associate professor Nan Zhang, who was given NovaUCD’s Invention of the Year Award. Prof Fiona Timmins received the NovaUCD Consultancy of the Year Award.
Zhang received his award in recognition of a patented microfluidic system and process for the formulation of nanomedicines, which was developed by him and his research team.
Meanwhile, Timmins is an active researcher within the field of nursing and nurse education and has a strong track record in writing for publications, both as an author and as an editor.
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