Delenex Therapeutics AG Expands Pipeline

Delenex Therapeutics AG has announced that it has expanded its pipeline with two PENTRA®Bodies targeting interIeukin-17A and interleukin-1β.

Delenex has generated an anti-IL-17A PENTRA®Body for the treatment of dermatological and other inflammatory diseases. IL-17A is a pivotal interleukin which has been shown to play a key role in such medical conditions. Systemic administration of anti-IL-17A IgGs is an effective treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and other diseases.

The small size of about 25 kDa of the PENTRA®Body and its extraordinary neutralizing potency (IC50) of ≤ 5 picomolar allow a unique positioning as compared to other anti-IL-17A treatments currently in clinical development.

Delenex’ lead candidate neutralizing IL-1β is a PENTRA®Body for the treatment of acne and other inflammatory diseases such as gouty arthritis. Delenex’ anti-IL-1β displays neutralizing potency in the femtomolar IC50 range (≤ 600 fM).

IL-1β has been shown to be over expressed in lesions of acne and to be a key mediator of skin inflammation in this disease that affects a substantial fraction of the population and demands innovative treatment modalities, especially in case of moderate-to-severe forms of acne.

In gout, the high potency and small size allow the application of this PENTRA®Body especially for the treatment of gout flares, where a fast onset and short action of the drug is required.

“The identification of such highly potent PENTRA®Bodies in a short period of time proves once again the power of our technology. PENTRA®Bodies are uniquely positioned vis-à-vis existing therapies and address the increasing demand for therapies that combine high potency with a favorable safety profile and cost-efficiency”, commented Titus Kretzschmar, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Delenex.