DCE Technology
Our DCE technology consists of the proprietary know-how, techniques and expertise in deuterium chemistry that the Concert team has advanced for more than a decade. Using our industry-leading DCE Platform®, we have discovered and developed novel drugs designed to have superior properties—including enhanced clinical safety, tolerability or efficacy—based on compounds that have established pharmacological activity. Our DCE technology has very broad potential across numerous therapeutic areas, including for chronic diseases for which medicines are continually used by patients.
Deuterium is naturally abundant and forms stable molecular bonds
Concert applies DCE technology to improve the therapeutic properties of drug compounds with deuterium substitution. The distinct bonding and stability of deuterium can confer unique biological properties to therapeutics.
The average adult human body contains approximately two grams of deuterium. While essentially identical to hydrogen in size and shape, deuterium differs from hydrogen in that it contains an additional neutron. As a result, deuterium forms a more stable chemical bond with carbon than does hydrogen.
Deuterium chemistry can enhance drug properties
Potential advantages of our selective incorporation of deuterium in drug compounds using Concert’s DCE technology include the following enhancements in therapeutic properties and improvement in patient treatment regimens:
- Increased half-life in the body. We have selectively incorporated deuterium into compounds to prolong their pharmacokinetic profile, which is an increase in the half-life of the compound in the body. Increasing half-life in the body and increased systemic exposure can lead to therapeutic benefits such as improved safety, efficacy, tolerability and more convenient dosing regimens.
- Improved oral bioavailability. We have selectively incorporated deuterium into orally administered compounds to reduce the extent of undesired metabolism in the wall of the intestines and in the liver, referred to as first-pass metabolism. This results in a larger percentage of unmetabolized drug reaching the target site of action. Deuterated compounds with improved bioavailability may be active at lower doses and may have improved tolerability.
- Improved metabolic profile. We have selectively incorporated deuterium into compounds to improve their metabolic profiles by reducing the formation of toxic or reactive metabolites or by increasing the formation of desired, active metabolites relative to the corresponding non-deuterated compound. The effects, if any, of deuterium substitution on metabolic properties are highly dependent on the specific molecular positions at which deuterium is substituted for hydrogen. In addition, the metabolic effects of deuterium substitution, if any, are unpredictable, even in compounds that have similar chemical structures.
- Improved safety profile. We have selectively incorporated deuterium to change the previously observed safety of a compound. By improving the safety of a compound by selectively incorporating deuterium, it may potentially reduce or eliminate unwanted side effects of a drug compound and give it a safety profile that is acceptable for patient use.
- Retained therapeutic properties. Deuterated compounds can generally be expected to retain biochemical potency and selectivity similar to the hydrogen analogs in previously studied compounds.
As a result of Concert’s significant experience in deuterium chemistry and pharmaceutical research and development, we are creating innovative medicines that build on known compounds to enhance their therapeutic properties and enable them to enter therapeutic areas to meet the needs of patients.
