Business
Ox-1 Addiction Programme Update
TheraCryf plc has received a Notice of Allowance from the Canadian Patent Office for its Orexin-1 (Ox-1) addiction programme, completing broad patent protection across major markets including the US, Europe, Canada, and key Asian territories with Composition of Matter claims. The company also reported successful completion of Maximum Tolerated Dose studies for its Ox-1 asset, dosing up to 1g/kg in two species without adverse observations, which de-risks the programme and allows progression to repeat-dose studies informing planned 28-day regulatory toxicity studies in Q1 and Q2 2026, with IND/CTA readiness targeted for 2026. Disclaimer*
About this update from Theracryf Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n \n26 January 2026\nTheraCryf plc\n(\"TheraCryf\", the \"Company\" or the \"Group\")\n \nOx-1 Addiction Programme Update\nFinal major market patent granted in Canada\nProgress on IND enabling preclinical safety studies\nBest-in-class Ox-1 asset continues to be de-risked ahead of clinical readiness\n \nTheraCryf plc (AIM: TCF), the biotech company developing new medicines for addiction and other disorders of the brain, is pleased to announce that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the Canadian Patent Office for its Orexin-1 (Ox-1) addiction programme, alongside a positive update on ongoing preclinical development.\n \nThe Canadian patent represents the final major market to grant for this intellectual property, completing broad protection across the US, Europe, Canada and key Asian territories. The patent provides Composition of Matter, the strongest form of patent cover available, conferring long-term exclusivity and significantly strengthening the commercial and partnering proposition for the programme.\n \nThe Group also reports continued progress on its Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) and Dose Range Finding (DRF) studies, which commenced earlier this month. The MTD have now been successfully completed, with two species dosed up to the regulatory maximum, 1g/kg of the orexin-1 blocker, with no adverse clinical observations reported. This favourable outcome further de-risks the programme and enables progression into repeat-dose DRF studies, the results of which will inform the dosing for the planned 28-day regulatory toxicity studies scheduled in Q1 and Q2 2026, depending on species. This is a near final step on the path to IND/CTA readiness targeted for 2026.\n \nOx-1, TheraCryf's lead programme, is a novel, best-in-class orexin-1 blocker, being developed as a potential treatment for addiction, including alcohol and other substance use disorders. The programme demonstrates class-leading selectivity and high receptor occupancy, characteristics which are expected to translate into improved tolerability and efficacy. Blocking the orexin-1 pathway has been shown to reduce aberrant substance-seeking behaviour in animal models, and the orexin pathway has attracted strong interest in the pharmaceutical sector.\n \nAddiction represents a large and growing global market, with su...