Rockville, MD. Rise Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing first-in-class targeted immunological-based biologics using a unique and proprietary oral delivery platform, announced today the publication of the co-authored article, “Lactococcus lactis Delivery of Surface Layer Protein A Protects Mice from Colitis by Re-Setting Host Immune Repertoire” in the journal Biomedicines.
The article examines studies conducted by the University of Florida, Rise Therapeutics, and Virtici. These studies reveal that oral delivery of Surface Layer Protein A (SlpA)-expressing L. lactis improved colitis symptoms in animal models via a unique and important immunological mechanism that reduces inflammation, improves intestinal membrane barrier function, and establishes a more diverse gut microbiome makeup. The published data positions this drug candidate as a novel and potentially highly effective treatment option for patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
“With these findings, we are developing an oral immunological-based therapeutic, R-3750, that will inhibit inflammatory processes that cause Inflammatory Bowel Disease,” stated Dr. Gary Fanger, President and CEO of Rise Therapeutics. “With our clinical GMP manufacturing infrastructure now online, we are looking forward to initiating our first-in-human clinical trial to evaluate activity for treating patients suffering from this lifelong disease.”
“This paper is the result of a collaborative efforts that not only led to the identification of a novel synthetic biology-based microbiome drug, but also to understanding the novel mechanism of action of this therapy, and to discovery of key biomarkers to support human clinical trials”, stated Dr. Christian Furlan Freguia, Vice President of Research at Rise Therapeutics.
Over 3 million adults in the U.S. suffer from IBD, an umbrella term encompassing two chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). IBD is typically diagnosed in the second or third decades of life; it is lifelong, and there is no cure. Current IBD treatments are systemic and can have serious side-effects. However, R-3750 is optimized for pharmacodynamic delivery of SlpA to the intestinal tract. This publication confirms the pivotal role of SlpA in mitigating colitis and unveiled a new understanding of the mechanism by which SlpA mediates its anti-inflammatory effects.
Based upon the vibrant gut immunological ecosystem, Rise Therapeutics has developed a platform that enables oral delivery of targeted biological medicines. The platform, called TriPartite X (TPX), is a novel DNA assembly approach that allows for creation of engineered probiotics to escort targeted protein therapies to the site of action, the intestinal tract. TPX enables transition away from regular injections and infusion strategies for a more convenient ‘pill-based’ oral delivery perspective for biological medicines. R-3750 reduces gut inflammation, reestablishes gut mucosal barrier function, induces positive maintenance of the gastrointestinal microbiome, and eliminates symptoms of colitis. Based upon these properties, commercialization of R-3750 could provide an important new IBD treatment that is oral-based, safer than current drug options, and lower cost.
About Rise Therapeutics
Rise Therapeutics is an emerging, privately held company located in Rockville, Maryland which leverages its expertise in synthetic biology and immunological drug development to create novel cellular-based immune therapies. With a strong emphasis on product development and its internal clinical GMP manufacturing infrastructure, Rise is focused on developing immunological-based biological medicines using a unique and proprietary oral biologics delivery platform. Unlike traditional biological therapies which require injection or infusion, Rise Therapeutics’ delivery platform allows simple, convenient, and cost-effective oral capsule delivery of targeted protein therapy. Our drug development focus is driven by new microbiome-related discoveries enabling development of targeted, first-in-class immune modulatory drugs for the treatment of inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer, and infection. In the context of its expertise in synthetic biology medicine, proprietary TPX oral drug delivery platform, and clinical GMP manufacturing capabilities, Rise is creating and rapidly advancing life changing cellular-based medicines to the market. For more information, go to www.risetherapeutics.com.