Expands Advisory Panel with Immunology and Rheumatology Expertise
Dublin, Ireland, May 27, 2022
Inflection Biosciences Ltd, a company developing innovative therapeutics for the treatment of cancer announces the expansion of its research focus to include autoimmune and inflammatory disease. The expanded focus leverages the company’s expertise in PIM kinase biology and the further evidence now available that PIM kinase plays a role not only in cancer but also in key autoimmune and inflammatory processes through regulation of T and B cell function.
IBL-101 is the company’s orally available, selective pan-PIM kinase inhibitor now being developed for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and lupus nephritis.
In conjunction with the expansion of its research focus, the company also announced the addition to its advisory panel of distinguished academic and industry leaders in the fields of immunology and rheumatology, namely Dr Arthur Pratt, Dr Andrew Leishman and Dr Patrick Walsh.
Darren Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer of Inflection Biosciences Ltd, commented “We are excited to launch this new research focus for IBL-101 in autoimmune and inflammatory disease. PIM kinase inhibition has been shown to be effective in preclinical models of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and lupus nephritis among others. It is a privilege to welcome Arthur, Andrew and Patrick to our advisory panel, whose breadth of expertise will greatly assist us in delivering on the therapeutic promise of IBL-101 for patients globally.”
New Advisory Panel members include:
Dr Arthur Pratt is Clinical Senior Lecturer in Rheumatology at Newcastle University, and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, UK. His research focusses on the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of immune-mediated inflammatory arthritis, and he has experience in the design and delivery of investigator led and collaborative industry-led early phase trials in these conditions. He has previously published on the role of PIM kinases as mediators of immune dysregulation in rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr Andrew Leishman is Director at Immunoconsulting Limited with over 20 years small and large molecule drug discovery and development experience, from target identification through to clinical development. He has worked with several pharmaceutical companies including PPL Therapeutics, Grunenthal and AstraZeneca (MedImmune) to deliver therapies targeting components of the immune system that are undergoing clinical trials across several therapy areas.
Dr. Patrick Walsh is an Associate Professor in Paediatric Immunology in the School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin. He earned a PhD in biochemistry at UCC in 2001, and conducted postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania where he was an American Society for Transplantation fellowship awardee. After a period in pharmaceutical drug development at GlaxoSmithKline, he joined the School of Medicine as a lecturer in Paediatric Immunology and Principal Investigator at the National Children’s Research Centre (NCRC), CHI-Crumlin. He has been awarded the Science Foundation Ireland President of Ireland Young Researcher award. The research conducted by Professor Walsh’s group investigates the mechanisms which control inflammation and immune tolerance, particularly in the context of autoimmune and inflammatory disease conditions.
About IBL-101
IBL-101 is a small molecule, orally available, pan-PIM kinase inhibitor in preclinical stage of development. The PIM family of serine/threonine kinases, consisting of PIM-1, PIM-2, and PIM-3, controls cell survival, proliferation, and apoptosis. PIM kinase is involved in key autoimmune and inflammatory processes through regulation of T and B cell function. Expression of PIM kinases is regulated by the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway, a critical signal transduction pathway which is dysregulated in autoimmune and inflammatory disease. JAK kinase inhibitors have been successfully developed for indications such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis, but carry warnings due to potential severe side effects. Downstream cellular targeting of the JAK/STAT pathway via PIM kinase inhibition may reduce these side effects thus allowing for a safer therapeutic approach.
About Inflection Biosciences
Inflection Biosciences Ltd is developing small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IBL-101 is a pan-PIM kinase inhibitor in preclinical development for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IBL-202 is a first-in-class, dual PIM kinase and PI3K inhibitor in development for aggressive B-cell malignancies, T-cell lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia. The partnered pipeline comprises first-in-class AUM302, a PIM/PI3K/mTOR inhibitor being developed by AUM Biosciences. For more information, please visit www.inflectionbio.com
For Further Information Contact:
Inflection Biosciences Ltd
Darren Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer
E: dcunningham@inflectionbio.com
T: +353 (0)1 4003615