We are discovering and developing potent and highly selective inhibitors of TGFβ for the treatment of fibrotic diseases in collaboration with Gilead Sciences, Inc. Our emerging medicines could offer a powerful new approach to suppressing pro-fibrotic signaling in multiple organs, while avoiding known toxicities.
Assets
In partnership with Gilead
- Context-Independent Latent TGFβ1
- Context-Dependent Latent TGFβ1 / LTBP1 & LTBP3
- Undisclosed Program
In December 2018, we entered into a strategic collaboration with Gilead for the discovery and development of highly specific inhibitors of TGFβ activation for the treatment of fibrotic diseases. Under the collaboration, Gilead has exclusive options to license worldwide rights to product candidates that emerge from three of our TGFβ programs:
- inhibitors that selectively target activation of latent TGFβ1
- inhibitors that selectively target activation of latent TGFβ1 localized to extracellular matrix
- undisclosed TGFβ discovery program
While TGFβ is at the apex of the fibrotic signaling cascade, there are safety concerns linked to off-target effects of neighboring growth factors by non-selective approaches.
We identified potent and selective inhibitors of TGFβ1 signaling at the source of disease in the tissue microenvironment. Further, we demonstrated in preclinical studies that these highly specific inhibitors can prevent the activation of the growth factor in the fibrotic matrix and may offer a powerful new approach to suppressing pro-fibrotic signaling in multiple organs. In January 2020, we announced the achievement of the first milestone with the demonstration of preclinical efficacy in in vivo proof-of-concept studies. We’re advancing our collaboration with Gilead with the aim of selecting molecules to be developed as new medicines for patients with fibrotic diseases.