Benlysta May Lead Wave Of New Approvals For Lupus Drugs
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
The looming approval of Benlysta may create an easier pathway to approval for other lupus candidates, while leaving a potentially broad opportunity for other drugs to fill gaps in its label. Start-Up profiles three emerging lupus drug developers: Azano Pharmaceuticals, Resolve Therapeutics and SuppreMol
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Start-Up Previews (01/2011)
A preview of the emerging health companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, "Benlysta May Lead Wave Of New Approvals For Lupus Drugs," features profiles of Azano Pharmaceuticals, Resolve Therapeutics and SuppreMol. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: biocrea, e(ye)BRAIN, MiCardia and Omthera Pharmaceuticals
Resolve Therapeutics LLC
A growing number of competing companies are taking fresh approaches to treating lupus. Genentech and MedImmune, for instance, are each working on antibodies intended to directly bind the cytokine known as interferon-alpha, and inhibit its inflammatory effects. Start-up Resolve Therapeutics LLC is developing a compound intended to act in the same pathway as Genentech's and MedImmune's antibodies, but upstream of alpha-interferon. The idea is not to block production of interferon itself, but rather to block events that company founders believe trigger alpha-interferon production in lupus patients.
SuppreMol GMBH
SuppreMol GMBH is developing a recombinant version of human Fcy receptor FcyRIIb, now in Phase IIa for SLE. This candidate competes with membrane-bound Fcy receptors on immune cells, preventing binding of immune complexes containing autoantigens and inhibiting re-stimulation of immune cells. This down-regulates the B cells specifically involved in the autoimmune response, but does not affect B cells that are part of the normal immune response.