Sealacian From living fossil to future medicine

The object of the SEALACIAN project, officially recognised in November 2006, was to identify active molecules with anti-cancer and anti-infection properties in dogfish, and to carry out related pre-clinical research and development.
Several methods were used to isolate the 17 peptides identified, which were then tested for anti-cancer properties. Of these 17 peptides, four molecules proved to actively combat cancer. A regulatory toxicity study was carried out on these 4 molecules and 3 of them have now been tested for antitumour activity in animals. The results have been extremely promising and pre-clinical development of these 4 molecules is in the final stages that will lead to new drugs.
The successful completion of the SEALACIAN project, as well as producing new therapeutic molecules, has led to advances in scientific knowledge. In addition, several patents are in the process of being registered. These outcomes are extremely encouraging, particularly as they have opened up new and useful work relating to different types of cancer.
The funding provided by the French Government Interministerial Fund (FUI - Fonds Unique Interministériel) and local authorities (50% of the costs for companies and 100% for academic research teams) enabled project partners to commit fully to the project and to progress more rapidly with the R&D phase.

SEALACIAN was a genuinely collaborative project and those involved are pursuing their partnership in another project recognised by Pôle Mer Bretagne and entitled PEPTISAN.