Scientific Contributions

I am an author of 27 peer-reviewed publications spanning mRNA therapeutics, rare disease, antibodies, liver disease, immunology, virology and drug discovery, and a co-inventor on patent families covering therapeutic mRNA and biologics.

Patent Families

1. Horscroft N, Pönisch M, Weinl-Tenbruck C, Chevessier-Tünnesen F. RNA for treatment or prophylaxis of a liver disease. CureVac AG. WO2018104538A1; US11464836B2 (granted 2022). mRNA | Liver disease | Therapeutic protein expression  Google Patents

2. Horscroft N, Pönisch M, Weinl-Tenbruck C. RNAs for wound healing. CureVac AG. WO2018104540A1; US11542490B2 (granted 2023). mRNA | Regenerative medicine | Wound healing  Google Patents

3. Ciaramella G, Flores MV, Horscroft NJ, Katragadda M, Wu Y. Fusion proteins of immunoglobulin Fc and interferon-alpha. Pfizer Ltd. WO2011064758A2/A3 (published 2011). Biologics | Immunology | Anti-infectives  Google Patents

Publications

1. Thran M, Pönisch M, Danz H, Horscroft N, Ichtchenko K, Tzipori S, Shoemaker C. (2023) Co-administration of an effector antibody enhances the half-life and therapeutic potential of RNA-encoded nanobodies. Scientific Reports. 2023 Sep 5;13(1):14632    mRNA | Antibodies  PMID: 37670025

2. Cacicedo M, Weinl-Tenbruck C, Frank D, Limeres MJ, Wirsching S, Hilbert K, Pasha F, Mansure A, Horscroft N, Hennermann J, Zepp F, Chevessier-Tünnesen F, Gehring S. (2022) Phenylalanine hydroxylase mRNA rescues the phenylketonuria phenotype in mice. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. Oct; Vol 10-2022  mRNA | Rare disease  PMID: 36277393

3. Cacicedo M, Weinl-Tenbruck C, Frank D, Wirsching S, Straub B, Hauke J, Okun J, Horscroft N, Hennermann J, Zepp F, Chevessier-Tünnesen F, Gehring S. (2022) mRNA-based Therapy Proves Superior to the standard-of-care for Treating Hereditary Tyrosinemia 1 in a Mouse Model. Molecular Therapy – Methods & Clinical Development. 26:294-308 mRNA | Rare disease  PMID: 35949297

4. Pinheiro I, Barberá A, Raurell I, Estrella F, de Leeuw M, Bolca S, Gottardi D, Horscroft N, Possemiers S, Teresa Salcedo M, Genescà J, Martell M, Augustin S. (2022) A Nine-Strain Bacterial Consortium Improves Portal Hypertension and Insulin Signaling and Delays NAFLD Progression In Vivo. Biomedicines. 10(5):1191. LBP | Microbiome | Liver disease  PMID: 35625927

5. Yang T, Poenisch M, Khanal R, Hu Q, Dai Z, Li R, Song G, Yuan Q, Yao Q, Shen X, Taubert R, Engel B, Jaeckel E, Vogel A, Falk CS, Schambach A, Gerovska D, Araúzo-Bravo MJ, Vondran FWR, Cantz T, Horscroft N, Balakrishnan A, Chevessier F, Ott M, Sharma AD. (2021) Therapeutic HNF4A mRNA attenuates liver fibrosis in a preclinical model. J Hepatol. Dec;75(6):1420-1433. mRNA | Liver disease  PMID: 34453962

6. Hauser S, Pönisch M, Schelling Y, Höflinger P, Schuster S, Teegler A, Betten R, Gustafsson J, Hübener-Schmid J, Schlake T, Chevessier-Tünnesen F, Horscroft N, Björkhem I, Schoels L. (2019) Messenger RNA as novel treatment strategy for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Type 5 (SPG5). Molecular Therapy – Methods & Clinical Development. 15:359-370 mRNA | CNS | Rare disease  PMID: 31828178

7. Thran M, Mukherjee J, Pönisch M, Fiedler K, Thess A, Mui B, Hope M, Tam Y, Horscroft N, Heidenreich R, Fotin-Mleczek M, Shoemaker C, Schlake T. (2017) mRNA mediates passive vaccination against infectious agents, toxins, and tumors. EMBO Molecular Medicine. Oct; 9(10): 1434-1447 mRNA | Antibodies | Oncology | Anti-infectives  PMID: 28794134

8. Edwards DK, Jasny E, Yoon H, Horscroft N, Schanen B, Geter T, Fotin-Mleczek M, Petsch B, Wittman V. (2017) Adjuvant effects of a sequence-engineered mRNA vaccine: translational profiling demonstrates similar human and murine innate response. J Transl Med. Jan 3;15(1):1 mRNA | Vaccines  PMID: 28049494

9. Flores MV, Hickling TP, Sreckovic S, Fidock M, Horscroft N, Katragada M, Savic B, Rawal J, Delpuech-Adams O, Robas N, Corey T, Nelms L, Lawton M, Mareck J, Stubbs M, Westby M, Ciaramella G. (2012). Preclinical studies of PF-04849285, an interferon alpha8 fusion protein for the treatment of HCV. Antiviral Therapy. 17(5):869-81 Anti-infectives | Biologics  PMID: 22505586

10. Perkins H, Khodai T, Mechiche H, Colman P, Burden F, Laxton C, Horscroft N, Corey T, Fidock M, Rodrigues D, Rawal J, Heyen J, Westby M, Bright H. (2012) Therapy with TLR7 agonists induces lymphopenia: Correlating pharmacology to mechanism in a mouse model. J Clin Immunol. 32(5):1082-92    Anti-infectives | Small molecules | Immunology  PMID: 22476912

11. Horscroft N, Pryde D and Bright H. (2012) Antiviral applications of Toll-like receptor agonists. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 67(4): 789-801.    Review | Anti-infectives | Small molecules | Immunology  PMID: 22258929

12. Jones P, Pryde DC, Tran TD, Adam FM, Bish G, Calo F, Ciaramella G, Dixon R, Duckworth J, Fox DN, Hay DA, Hitchin J, Horscroft N, Howard M, Laxton C, Parkinson T, Parsons G, Proctor K, Smith MC, Smith N, Thomas A. (2011) Discovery of a highly potent series of TLR7 agonists. Bioorganic and Med Chem Letters. 21(19):5939-43. Anti-infectives | Small molecules | Immunology  PMID: 21885277

13. Murray E, Burden F, Horscroft N, Smith-Burchnell C, Westby M. (2011) Knockdown of USP18 activity greatly increases IFN-2a signalling and ISG induction but does not increase antiviral activity in Huh7.5 cells. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 55(9):4311-9. Anti-infectives  PMID: 21709085

14. Fidock M, Souberbielle B, Laxton C, Rawal J, Adams O, Corey T, Colman P, Kumar V, Cheng J, Wright K, Srinivasin S, Rana K, Craig C, Horscroft N, Westby M, Webster R, van der Ryst E.(2011) The innate immune response, clinical outcomes and ex-vivo HCV antiviral efficacy of a TLR7 agonist (PF-4878691). Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 89(6):821-9. Anti-infectives | Small molecules | Immunology  PMID: 21451504

15. Tran T, Pryde D, Adam F, Benson N, Bish G, Calo F, Ciaramella G, Dixon R, Duckworth J, Fox D, Hay D, Hitchin J, Horscroft N, Howard M, Gardner I, Jones H, Jones P, Laxton C, Parkinson T, Parsons G, Proctor K, Smith M, Smith N, Thomas A. (2011) Design and optimisation of orally active TLR7 agonists for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. Bioorganic and Med Chem Letters. 21(8):2389-93. Anti-infectives | Small molecules | Immunology  PMID: 21419626

16. Pryde D, Tran T, Parsons G, Bish G, Adam F, Smith M, Hay D, Paradowski M, Proctor K, Parkinson T, Laxton C, Fox D, Horscroft N, Ciaramella G, Jones H, Duckworth J, Benson N, Harrison A, Webster R. (2011) The discovery of a novel prototype small molecule TLR7 agonist for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. Med Chem Commun, 2 (3), 185 – 189. Anti-infectives | Small molecules | Immunology  DOI: 10.1039/C0MD00197J

17. Clarke S, Laxton C, Horscroft N, Richard V, Thomas A, Parkinson T. (2009) Comparison of rat and human responses to toll-like receptor 7 activations. J Interferon Cytokine Res. 29(2):113-26 Small molecules | Immunology  PMID: 19014333

18. Thomas A, Laxton C, Rodman J, Myanger N, Horscroft N, Parkinson T. (2007) Investigating toll-like receptor agonists for potential to treat hepatitis C virus infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 51(8):2969-78.  Anti-infectives | Small molecules | Immunology  PMID: 17548497

19. Horscroft N, Lai VC, Cheney W, Yao N, Wu JZ, Hong Z, Zhong W. (2005). Replicon cell culture system as a valuable tool in antiviral drug discovery against hepatitis C virus. Antivir Chem Chemother. 16(1):1-12. Review | Virology  PMID: 15739617

20. Horscroft N, Bellows D, Ansari I, Lai VC, Dempsey S, Liang D, Donis R, Zhong W, Hong Z. (2005). Establishment of a subgenomic replicon for bovine viral diarrhoea virus in Huh-7 cells and modulation of interferon-regulated factor 3-mediated antiviral response. J Virol. 79(5):2788-96. Virology | Small molecules  PMID: 15708997

21. Cheney IW, Naim S, Lai VC, Dempsey S, Bellows D, Walker MP, Shim JH, Horscroft N, Hong Z, Zhong W. (2002). Mutations in NS5B polymerase of hepatitis C virus: impacts on in vitro enzymatic activity and viral RNA replication in the subgenomic replicon cell culture. Virology. 297(2):298-306. Virology  PMID: 12083828

22. Solbrig MV, Schlaberg R, Briese T, Horscroft N, Lipkin WI. (2002). Neuroprotection and reduced proliferation of microglia in ribavirin-treated bornavirus-infected rats. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 46(7):2287-91. Anti-infectives | Small molecules | CNS  PMID: 12069992

23. Hornig M, Solbrig M, Horscroft N, Weissenbock H, Lipkin WI. (2001). Borna disease virus infection of adult and neonatal rats: models for neuropsychiatric disease. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 253:157-77. Virology | CNS  PMID: 11417134

24. Solbrig MV, Koob GF, Parsons LH, Kadota T, Horscroft N, Briese T, Lipkin WI. (2000). Neurotrophic factor expression after CNS viral injury produces enhanced sensitivity to psychostimulants: a potential mechanism for addiction vulnerability. J Neurosci. 20(21): RC104. CNS  PMID: 11050146

25. Horscroft, N., and Roy, P. (2000). NTP-binding and phosphohydrolase activity associated with purified Bluetongue virus non-structural protein NS2. J Gen Virol; 81: 1961-1965 Virology  PMID: 10900034

26. Hornig, M., Weissenböck, H., Horscroft, N, Lipkin, W.I. (1999). An infection-based model for neurodevelopmental damage. PNAS 96(21):12102-12107 Virology | CNS  PMID: 10518583

27. Horscroft, N., and Roy, P. (1997). Thermal denaturation of proteins for SDS-PAGE analysis by microwave irradiation. Biotechniques 22(2):224-226. Methods  PMID: 9043686