Syntara

Syntara Ltd, publicly traded on the ASX under the symbol SNT, is a clinical-stage drug development company that evolved from its previous identity, Pharmaxis Limited, in 2023. This strategic rebranding followed the sale of its mannitol business (Bronchitol) and manufacturing facility, a move that reduced annual operating costs by approximately A$14 million and sharpened the company's focus on its internal drug discovery pipeline. The company's history dates back to 1998, with its initial listing as Pharmaxis on the ASX in 2001. The current Chief Executive Officer, Gary Phillips, brings over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry from roles at Novartis.

Syntara's core business revolves around developing novel medicines for blood cancers (haematological malignancies) and other diseases linked to inflammation and fibrosis. The company's business model is centered on its in-house drug discovery engine, which leverages deep expertise in the chemistry of amine oxidase enzymes—key drivers of fibrosis and inflammation. This internal development approach is a key differentiator from many other Australian biotech firms that typically license or acquire drug candidates. The company's primary clients are patients with rare and underserved diseases, with the ultimate goal of partnering with or being acquired by larger pharmaceutical companies upon successful clinical trials.

The company's lead product candidate is amsulostat (SNT-5505), an orally administered pan-lysyl oxidase (pan-LOX) inhibitor. This drug is currently in a Phase 2 multinational study for myelofibrosis, a blood cancer characterized by scar tissue in the bone marrow. Amsulostat aims to be a disease-modifying treatment by clearing this fibrosis, a contrast to existing standard-of-care treatments like JAK inhibitors that primarily manage symptoms. The pipeline also includes programs targeting skin scarring, myelodysplastic syndrome (another blood cancer), and neuroinflammatory conditions like Parkinson's disease in collaboration with Parkinson's UK.

Keywords: clinical-stage drug development, haematological malignancies, myelofibrosis, fibrosis, inflammation, amine oxidase chemistry, ASX:SNT, Pharmaxis, amsulostat, SNT-5505, lysyl oxidase inhibitor, pan-LOX inhibitor, bone marrow cancer, drug discovery engine, rare diseases, biopharmaceutical, scar prevention, neuroinflammation, myelodysplastic syndrome, Parkinson's disease treatment