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The Celtic Biotech logo is based on a combination of three symbols. The staff with the snake has long been a symbol of medicine and the medical profession. It originates from the story of Asclepius, who was revered by the ancient Greeks as a god of healing and whose cult involved the use of snakes. The Celts also revered the snake, traditionally associated with healing, regeneration and rebirth. The Celtic knot also symbolises the cyclic nature of life with its symbolic pattern of a looped knot that has no start or finish.

Celtic Biotech is researching therapeutic components of venoms from the South American rattlesnake Crotalus Durissus and it's sub-species. The Company is also examining the combination of these protein components with proteins from cobra venom, in particular cobramine. These therapies are elaborated on further in the Pipeline Section of the website.

CB-24 is a nicotinic antagonist that can attach to several subtypes of nicotinic receptors. Alpha nicotinic receptors are highly expressed on a variety of malignant cell types. Upon binding of CB-24 to its receptor the PLA2 B subunit is released and attracted by the more negative membrane surface on the malignant cells, initiates its enzymatic action to digest the membrane releasing palmitate and arachidonic acid. The membrane is compromised and there is an influx of Ca2+ further activating L-type Ca2+ channels. Malignant cells have a significantly poorer membrane repair capacity compared to normal cells. Arachidonic acid causes apoptosis exclusively through the mitochondrial pathway. LXA4 and its analogue 15-epi-LXA4 are potent immunomodulators that can also suppress tumour proliferation.

Our lead candidate, CB-24, along with CB-24/CB-6 (cobramine) combination and CB-4 crotamine, possess several desirable properties as therapeutics: broad activity against a variety of tumour cell types, including lung, breast, prostate, ovarian and cervical; potent therapeutic doses measured in micrograms; good therapeutic windows and tolerance permitting higher therapeutic doses; not susceptible to development of tolerance by tumours; significant analgesic effect; targeting cancer cells preferentially with minimal adverse side effects; straightforward administration (subcutaneous, intra-muscular or intra-venous); established manufacturing processes; cost competitive.

Of 72 patients clinically treated to date 31 (43%) achieved a therapeutic benefit with 10 having stabilised disease (SD), 13 a partial response (PR) and 8 achieved remission (R). Diseases with recorded responses include breast, pancreatic, adenocarcinoma, liposarcoma, mesothelioma, NSCLC, cervical, ovarian, prostate and others. For clinical trial summaries, please see our Clinical Trials page.

The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is not yet established. The purpose of the planned Phase I part 3 is to identify exactly this before moving on to Phase II efficacy trials. So far patients in Celtic Biotech trials have had few drug related adverse events (only one serious adverse event (SAE) was reported during Phase I Part 2). The patient responded to treatment.

The Company's lead compound has indicated therapeutic action against a variety of solid tumours, lung cancer among them. Due to the large unmet need in the lung cancer therapeutic field the Company deems it prudent to initially target this patient group. Lung cancer occurred in 2.2 million people and resulted in 1.8 million deaths globally in 2020; it is the most common cause of cancer-related death. Lung cancer will be a prime target; however any disease type in which the company products indicate beneficial activity will be supported, with the Company particularly interested to target Orphan diseases.

Apart from any earlier possibilities under regulatory Compassionate Release programmes, the Company believes that approval to market this drug could be obtained as early as 2028. This will largely hinge on the success of the clinical programme and regulatory approval applications.

There are many factors that determine if patients can participate in clinical trials. Only centres that are involved in the conduct of clinical trials can enroll patients. The Company will promote future proprietary trials on its website, with details of location and recruitment policies.

Several Phase I Human Clinical trials had already been completed with crotoxin and crotoxin/cobramine combined. The Company has since completed 2 parts of its own proprietary Phase I study with a new method of administration which has affirmed the tolerability and safety indications of CB-24 with an i.v. method of administration. Celtic Biotech and MD Anderson, Texas, pre-clinical studies demonstrate that CB-6/cobramine is a very effective vaccine adjuvant. Phase I, Part 3 improvements to protocol have been reviewed and approved by regulatory authorities. Pre-clinical studies in Soochow University (P.R. of China), sponsored by Celtic Biotech, confirm activity of CB-24 when combined with other anti-cancer agents. Further pre-clinical studies in Soochow University suggest CB-6 to be a prospect in the treatment of chronic kidney disease.

For peer reviewed published information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Crotoxin

Employing venoms as therapeutics is not new and is fast-growing. A large number of well-known pharmaceutical companies are developing novel therapies derived from snake venoms and other reptiles. Examples: In China, Ke Tong Ning (cobratoxin) has been on sale since 1978. Botox (botulinum toxin) is developed by Allergan/AbbVie and Elan/Perrigo. Abbott (ANCROD from Malayan pit viper); Amylin/Lilly (extending-4 from Gila monster); Bristol Myers Squibb (Captopril from adder); Integrilin (eptifibatide from pygmy rattlesnake); Elan (Ziconitide from Conus snails); Merck (Aggrastat from saw-scaled viper); Pentapharm (Defibrase, Haemocoagulase); ReceptoPharm USA (cobra venom for HIV and MS).

The extraction of venom is a precise and controlled process, applying the highest standards of care and professional animal husbandry. The process is harmless to the snake and vital for ensuring the provenance and highest quality raw venom is gathered, following which purification and proprietary manufacturing processes produce the clinical isolates for our therapeutic research.