SAN
DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Impilo
Therapeutics, Inc. ("Impilo"), a privately held drug discovery and
development company, today announced that it has launched with the
mission to enable nucleic acid-based medicines to effectively treat
solid tumor cancers. The Company's technology is derived from
an agreement with Lisata Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: LSTA)
("Lisata") for the targeted delivery of nucleic acid-based
medicines. Impilo is advancing its Tumor-Penetrating Nanocomplex,
or TPN Platform™, to provide a targeted delivery approach for a
wide range of nucleic acid treatment modalities including
antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs),
messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and in vivo gene editing, and is
advancing an internal pipeline of programs for solid tumor cancer
indications.
Nucleic acid-based medicines have been approved for a range of
diseases, but none for the treatment of cancer. In spite of the
potential to provide precision medicines that target the genetic
basis of disease, early promise for this class of drugs in
pre-clinical and early clinical development failed to translate
into commercial success. The tumor stroma, composed of
non-cancerous cells and extracellular matrix surrounding cancer
cells, is a primary impediment to effective drug delivery to treat
solid tumor cancers and a particular challenge for nucleic
acid-based drugs.
"It is clear to everyone involved in launching Impilo that there
is enormous potential to translate the promise of nucleic
acid-based medicines in treating cancer. We have assembled the
right team and the right technology to rapidly advance exciting
product opportunities enabled by the TPN Platform to benefit cancer
patients," said David Slack, CEO of
Impilo. "Our platform provides a targeted approach to enable
nucleic acid-based drugs to penetrate the layers of the stroma and
has shown encouraging results in animal models for many solid tumor
types. Importantly, the key tumor-targeted tissue-penetrating
technology component of the Platform has demonstrated encouraging
activity and favorable safety profile in clinical trials conducted
by our partners at Lisata with their investigational drug, LSTA1,
in combination with a range of agents across a range of solid tumor
types."
Impilo is led by CEO David Slack,
an industry veteran with 30 years of experience leading biotech
companies, including numerous financings, strategic partnerships,
mergers and acquisitions. David was previously CEO at Lisata's
predecessor, Cend Therapeutics. He has also played senior roles at
Viracta Therapeutics, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Aventis Pharma (now
Sanofi), Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and RPR Gencell. David is supported by
a world-class executive and scientific team with extensive R&D
expertise across multiple RNA modalities. John S. Grundy, Ph.D., Chief Development
Officer, joins after previously co-founding and serving on the
board of DTx Pharma and with a deep background on leading
preclinical development and clinical pharmacology at Ionis, Regulus
Therapeutics, and Arena Pharmaceuticals.
"I am thrilled by the team and focus that David has brought
together to form Impilo," commented Impilo's scientific founder,
Erkki Ruoslahti, MD, PhD. "Coming from backgrounds at companies
that originated multiple nucleic acid drug technologies, they have
an appreciation for the challenges in applying this class of drugs
for anticancer applications and a solid plan to exploit the broad
potential of the TPN Platform to address these
challenges."
About our TPN Platform™
Key components that differentiate the TPN Platform technology
include a proprietary tumor-targeted tissue penetrating peptide
discovered by Dr. Ruoslahti and colleagues. The internalizing RGD
or iRGD peptide targets tumors via affinity for integrins that are
selectively expressed on tumor vasculature and key cell types
within the tumor stroma, including cancer cells themselves. Once
bound to these integrins at the tumor, the peptide is cleaved to
release a cryptic peptide fragment that initiates an active
transport pathway to enable the peptide, peptide fragment, and
tethered nucleic acid-based drugs, to penetrate the layers of the
stroma to enable more effective treatment of solid tumor cancers.
The Platform also includes peptides targeting additional cell
types, such as tumor-associated macrophages. It further
incorporates a range of different carrier formats and additional
technologies to optimize application across a broad range of
nucleic acid-based treatment modalities.
About the Impilo-Lisata Transaction
Lisata granted Impilo exclusive rights to iRGD for nucleic
acid-based drug applications and assigned rights to other
technologies in exchange for equity in Impilo. Lisata also received
right of first negotiation for an Impilo-generated TPN drug
development candidate. David Mazzo,
PhD, CEO of Lisata, will join Impilo's Board of Directors alongside
Dr. Ruoslahti and David Slack.
About Impilo Therapeutics
Impilo is a privately held drug discovery and development
company focused on a novel approach to enable nucleic acid-based
medicines to effectively treat solid tumor cancers. The Company was
founded by scientists and executives with deep experience and
commitment to enable cancer patients to benefit from this important
emerging drug class. The TPN Platform™ provides a tumor-targeted
tissue penetration capability to specifically enhance nucleic acid
drug delivery to tumors. The Company is advancing internal programs
and partnering efforts towards the clinic that hold potential to
address unmet needs for solid tumor cancer patients. For more
information, please visit www.impilotherapeutics.com and engage
with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contact: amy@juniper-point.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/impilo-therapeutics-launches-to-enable-nucleic-acid-based-medicines-to-effectively-treat-solid-tumor-cancers-301900313.html
SOURCE Impilo Therapeutics