LA JOLLA, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/20/14 -- The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and T23 today announced a global agreement for the development and commercialization of ligands for CD22, one of the family of siglecs (sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins), discovered and characterized by TSRI Professor James Paulson, PhD. Siglecs modulate cellular signaling and immune system activation and inhibition. CD22 is found uniquely on B-cells.
"This licensing agreement will enable the proof-of-principal clinical development and commercialization of selective immune cell targeting and cellular modulation using siglec targets," said Paulson, whose laboratory at TSRI is an international leader in siglec biology. "This is a promising opportunity to develop more selective and effective treatments for B-cell neoplasms."
Under the terms of the agreement, TSRI has granted to T23 exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize certain complex formulations combining cytotoxins, siglec targeting ligands, and liposomal or other delivery systems. If successful, the new therapeutic would be an important new tool for treatment of a range of hematological tumors arising from B-cell lineages. In addition to the license, T23 will provide research support to the Paulson lab for three years.
"We are excited to be working with Dr. Paulson and The Scripps Research Institute to develop these groundbreaking therapeutics that may dramatically improve the cure rate for b-cell tumors," said Nikolay Savchuk, PhD, chairman of the board of T23.
B-cell neoplasms cause about 4% of all cancers and nearly 90% of all lymphomas (hematological tumors). They exhibit a range of aggressiveness and have varying degrees of treatability. Survival rates also vary for different subtypes, however 5-year survival rates are about 70%. The targeted therapy, enabled using cd22-targeting of b-cell cancers, should extend survival and, more importantly, offer substantially higher cure rates than current therapies.
Dr. Paulson and his collaborators have been leaders in the biology of siglecs and other glycoproteins for more than a decade, with several dozen influential and pioneering publications resulting from their work.
About The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. TSRI is internationally recognized for its contributions to science and health, including its role in laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. An institution that evolved from the Scripps Metabolic Clinic founded by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps in 1924, the institute now employs about 3,000 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists -- including three Nobel laureates -- work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards PhD degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. For more information, see www.scripps.edu.
About T23
T23 is pre-clinical and clinical stage Biopharmaceutical Company. Located at Torrey Pines Investment campus in San Diego, CA it is focused on development of novel targeted immunotherapies for treatment of patients with cancer and autoimmune disease. T101, our candidate conjugate of siglec ligand and nanosomal formulation is currently in pre-clinical development with other conjugates in discovery. For more information, visit www.t23bio.com
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