Sea4Pain

Direct

Contribution to health through research and development of innovative treatments: with the funding, Sea4Us will continue the development of innovative treatments for chronic pain based on marine compounds. Based on research and development processes, the promoter has created a therapeutic drug from molecules found in a marine sponge, with high efficacy and no serious side effects. The promoter focuses on efficient production and development processes that allow for lower material losses and lower production costs, with the aim of keeping costs low and providing a product that is more accessible to patients.

Creation and maintenance of skilled jobs: the implementation phase to be funded by this campaign will result in one person being hired. Sea4Us, which currently has a team of 19 people, contributes to the creation of highly qualified jobs in the Algarve region of Portugal, with 18 highly qualified people, 10 of whom are PhDs.

Indirect

Promoting the quality of life of patients with chronic pain: through treatment with Sea4Pain, patients will be able to access an effective analgesic medication that reduces pain without adverse side effects and without the potential for addiction, representing an important and necessary alternative to the use of opioids. The non-opioid drugs in this solution provide pain relief and contribute to improving patients' quality of life. The commercialization of Sea4Pain will allow Sea4Us to reinvest in its production, developing new drugs for other pressing clinical needs, and delivering treatments that impact people's lives.

Contribution to the maintenance of marine ecosystems and sustainable marine economic activities: the promoter's central purpose is the protection and maintenance of marine resources, carrying out ecosystem monitoring, recording and managing invasive species, and contributing to the repopulation of native species. Sea4Us is a voluntary signatory of the UN Global Compact, a member of the European Animal Research Association and prioritizes transparency and ethics in its processes.

Promoting the economic and scientific development of the Algarve and Portugal: Sea4Us has its laboratory in Sagres, in the Algarve, where biotechnology activities are carried out, mobilizing a network of dozens of active partners to implement projects and disseminate knowledge in this region of Portugal. In this way, it is possible to raise the potential of the country's marine resources and the development of differentiating activities in the blue economy to an international scale, contributing to local economic development. In addition, through partnerships with universities, it contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge, having collaborated on seven master's theses already completed at the company, two doctoral theses completed and another five in progress.

A Sea4Us - Biotecnologia e Recursos Marinhos, S.A., fundada em 2013, é uma empresa portuguesa de biotecnologia especializada na descoberta e desenvolvimento de fármacos inovadores derivados de compostos marinhos para responder a necessidades clínicas sem tratamento adequado, como a dor crónica ou a dor induzida por quimioterapia, osteoartrite, bexiga hiperativa e doenças infeciosas.

A Sea4Us foi originalmente criada por 7 cofundadores inspirados na enorme biodiversidade marinha do Oceano Atlântico em Sagres, no sul de Portugal e foi neste lugar nasceu a Sede e Estação Marítima da Sea4Us.

Sagres continua a ser o principal local de recolha de amostras marinhas e descobertas de novos compostos bioativos, enquanto o desenvolvimento pré-clínico é realizado em Lisboa, no Laboratório de Fisiologia.

Uma spin-off da NOVA Medical School (Universidade Nova de Lisboa), a Sea4Us combina o seu conhecimento especializado em biologia marinha e eletrofisiologia, para identificar compostos diferenciadores, desenvolvê-los em novos medicamentos e realizar a sua validação e segurança preclínica.

O promotor pretende ser uma empresa biotecnológica de referência a nível mundial na investigação e desenvolvimento de produtos farmacêuticos. A Sea4Us pretende igualmente sistematizar e escalar as atividades e serviços da empresa que promovam a partilha e valorização de conhecimento biotecnológico adquirido, contribuindo para a sustentabilidade científica e económica empresa e para o desenvolvimento da região Algarvia.

A Sea4Us e o Sea4Pain foram reconhecidos pela União Europeia através do “EIC-Accelerator”, um Programa do Conselho Europeu de Inovação (EIC). Este Programa distingue o desenvolvimento deste novo medicamento e o seu impacto na sociedade e qualidade de vida dos doentes, e apoia seu desenvolvimento até aos primeiros ensaios clinicos em humanos (inclusive).