Nokad is a biotech start up created in January 2004 by three experienced scientists with scientific medical, pharmaceutical and business skills. The head office and the laboratory are located at Genopole^® d'Evry ( France ). Nokad developed a new technology that allows the inactivation of secreted proteins in vivo in 6 months, whatever the species required.Nokad was selected for pertinence and high potential for success by the Aventis-Institut de France Foundation in 2003 (Tremplins 2003). Nokad is supported by Genopole Entreprises.

Recent Highlights Anticipated Highlights 8 secreted targets efficiently neutralized by the protein-function-KO technology, with Rat and mice protein-Knock-Out successfully obtained. Two new patents filled in 2006 and 2007, in thrombocytopenia treatment and in a Erythropoietin-mice and -rat model. Validation of a vaccination strategy for hypertriglyceridemia in 2009.

Three contracts with pharmaceutical companies (Sanofi-Aventis, GSK, Servier). Multiple collaborative programs with pharmaceutical companies and academic groups.

Corporate Mission The main objective of NOKAD is to follow the development and optimization of our technology platform for in vivo target validation. A secondary objective is the development of new therapeutic options based on vaccination against endogenous targets.

Both side of our approach used the same platform set up since 2004. This innovative tool changes the way complex biologic questions can be solved in a short time. Furthermore, the proprietary protein-functional-Knock-Out technology allows testing the therapeutic options in all mammalians species before entering human clinical trials. This new way of thinking can potentially reduce the high failure rate of pharmaceutical drugs following their entry into clinical trials.

Tools for in vivo target validation studies:

- Protein-Functional Knock-Out in different mammals

- In vivo target validation for liver targets using viral delivery of RNAi or shRNA

- In vivo adenoviral or AAV over-expression studies in different mammalian species

- Generation of antibodies against none ore weakly immunogenic proteins

Proprietary Technology - NOKAD develops a proprietary functional-inactivation technology in mammals through induction of a specific immune response against the endogenous targets. Nokad's technology allows switch from one strain to another (Wild type, diabetic, obese, hypercholesterolemia, ...) or from one species to another within 2 months.

Examples of in vivo studies already conducted:
- Lipid metabolism: target validation in CETP-transgenic, ob/ob, APO-E-KO, wild type mice
- Iron metabolism: mice and rats
- Haematopoiesis: Wild type mice, thrombocytopenic mice, Rats

Observed phenotypes are stable, reversible in a controlled way and equivalent to genetic Knock-Out models when the KO is available. Otherwise it allows the generation of an adult KO when the genetic KO is lethal during the embryonic stage.

- Erythropoietin-functional KO mice and rat models