Because mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in a wide range of diseases, protecting mitochondria from oxidative damage is a promising and innovative therapeutic strategy. Antipodean is focused on the clinical development of MitoQ^®, a potent and promising mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant to treat neurodegenerative and other disorders. The unique properties of this agent have been demonstrated in a host of scientific studies that confirm its cellular activity and therapeutic potential.

Antioxidants are the body's natural defense against free radicals. Antioxidants block the effects of oxidation, a chemical reaction whereby electrons are removed from substrates, leading to free radicals, which are unstable intermediates that further attack and destroy proteins, lipids and ultimately cells. Antioxidants capture these unstable radicals and prevent them from causing additional damage.

The company is developing patented mitochondria-targeted antioxidants invented by Drs. Michael Murphy and Robin Smith at the University of Otago, New Zealand in 2000-2001. These compounds are accumulated by mitochondria within living tissue due to the presence of a triphenylphosphonium cation attached, through an alkyl chain, to the antioxidant component. The delocalised nature of these lipophilic phosphonium cations enables them to permeate lipid bilayers easily and they accumulate several hundred fold within mitochondria driven by the large membrane potential across the mitochondrial membrane. Mitochondrial membrane potential is central to mitochondrial biology. It defines the transport of ions and provides the driving force for oxidative phosphorylation. This selective uptake of bioactive molecules should greatly enhance their efficacy and specificity of molecules whilst also decreasing harmful side effects.

Benefits of MitoQ^®
The company's lead compound MitoQ^® (mitoquinone) is a potent, orally active antioxidant that targets Coenzyme Q into the mitochondria where it is capable of blocking oxidative reactions that may lead to neurodegeneration and other disorders. Coenzyme Q is a naturally occurring antioxidant found in the body that has been shown to be a promising therapeutic in neurodegenerative and other diseases. Our studies have shown that targeting Coenzyme Q into mitochondria, where most of the body's oxidative damage originates, increases its potency over 1000 fold.