Eledon Pharmaceuticals and Sernova Collaborate to Test Tegoprubart in Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

Eledon Pharmaceuticals is collaborating with Sernova to test tegoprubart, an anti-CD40L antibody, in type 1 diabetes. Tegoprubart is engineered to improve safety and provides pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and dosing advantages. CD40L is primarily expressed on activated CD4+ T cells, platelets, and endothelial cells, while the CD40 receptor is constitutively expressed on antigen-presenting cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells.

Sernova Biotherapeutics and Eledon Pharmaceuticals have entered into a collaborative research agreement to evaluate Eledon's immunosuppressive agent, tegoprubart (AT-1501), in Sernova's ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial for its Cell Pouch Bio-hybrid Organ in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) [1]. Tegoprubart, an anti-CD40L antibody, is being tested as an alternative to the current standard immunosuppressive drug, tacrolimus, in the upcoming Cohort C of the trial.

The collaboration aims to leverage tegoprubart's potential to prevent transplant rejection in islet cell, kidney, and xeno transplantation, while offering improved safety and pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and dosing advantages over tacrolimus [2]. CD40L, primarily expressed on activated CD4+ T cells, platelets, and endothelial cells, interacts with the CD40 receptor constitutively expressed on antigen-presenting cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, making tegoprubart a promising candidate for reducing rejection risk [3].

In an investigator-initiated study led by Dr. Piotr Witkowski, a leading expert in islet transplantation at the University of Chicago, three T1D patients treated with tegoprubart achieved normal, stable blood sugar levels and became insulin independent. Islet engraftment rates were three to five times higher than in comparable subjects who received tacrolimus-based immunosuppression, suggesting that tegoprubart better protects transplanted islets and improves graft survival and function [1].

The combination of Sernova's innovative Bio-hybrid Organ technology, featuring a fully retrievable design integrated with Evotec's stem cell-derived islet-like clusters, and Eledon's advanced immunosuppression approach positions the collaboration as a potential leading solution for a functional cure for T1D [2]. Jonathan Rigby, CEO of Sernova, expressed optimism about the promising clinical trial results, highlighting the potential for patients to achieve insulin independence more swiftly while minimizing toxicity to islet cells [1]. Dr. David-Alexandre C. Gros, Eledon's CEO, echoed this excitement, emphasizing that tegoprubart's ability to protect transplanted cells without the toxicities associated with traditional immunosuppressants could revolutionize T1D treatment [1].

References:

[1] https://www.morningstar.com/news/globe-newswire/9491251/sernova-biotherapeutics-announces-collaboration-with-eledon-pharmaceuticals-to-advance-a-potential-functional-cure-for-type-1-diabetes

[2] https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2966493/sernova-biotherapeutics-announces-collaboration-with-eledon-pharmaceuticals-to-advance-a-potential-functional-cure-for-type-1-diabetes-seovf-stock-news

[3] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sernova-biotherapeutics-announces-collaboration-eledon-123000379.html