Nov 19 2010
Stromedix, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on innovative therapies for fibrosis and organ failure, announced today that it has exclusively licensed the rights to a monoclonal antibody to integrin αvβ5 from the University of California. This compound is the second Stromedix pipeline asset to be sourced from the laboratory of Dean Sheppard, M.D., at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Preclinical research suggests that αvβ5 plays an important role in a variety of acute and chronic organ failure settings.
“I am pleased to continue our long-term collaboration with the Stromedix team”
"I am pleased to continue our long-term collaboration with the Stromedix team," said Dean Sheppard, M.D., Chief of the UCSF Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine. "Our research indicates that the αvβ5 antibody might have value in treating acute and chronic organ failure. We're excited to see whether it can help patients suffering from these debilitating conditions."
Research in Dr. Sheppard's lab has identified a critical role for αvβ5 in regulating endothelial barrier function, suggesting that an antibody to αvβ5 may have value in acute organ failure settings associated with vascular leakage. Other studies suggest a role in for αvβ5 in activating the pro-fibrotic cytokine TGFβ and promoting fibrosis.
"The Stromedix team has made significant progress in tackling the challenges of clinical development in fibrotic diseases," said Michael Gilman, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stromedix. "Our clinical development strategy uses a proprietary biomarker database to discover the biologically active dose of an anti-fibrotic agent in the context of a small, short-term trial. We are excited to be able to leverage what we've learned in the STX-100 program to the αvβ5 antibody and to build a pipeline of valuable biologic drugs to treat chronic and acute organ failure."
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