Rockville, Maryland - Rise Therapeutics, a biotech company focused on developing novel immunological-directed synthetic biology-based therapeutics, announced today that it has received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a novel therapeutic for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The funding will support completion of product validation studies and preparation for clinical development for the program. Rise’s functionally directed immunotherapy engages natural gut microbiome-associated immunological processes with the potential to diminish lung neutrophilia, reduce inflammation, upregulate regulatory T cells, and restore airways epithelial barrier to balance and reset the patient’s immunological repertoire.
"We are thrilled to receive this funding from the NIH to further develop our synthetic biology immunotherapy for ARDS that leverages the gut-lung microbiome axis" said Gary Fanger, CEO of Rise Therapeutics. "Our team is dedicated to developing innovative oral therapies to address unmet medical needs, and we believe that our novel drug delivery platform has the potential to revolutionize immunotherapy and greatly improve the lives of patients."
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a condition that occurs when fluid builds up in the tiny air sacs in the lungs, making it difficult for oxygen to reach the bloodstream. According to the World Health Organization, ARDS affects an estimated 3 million people globally each year. ARDS is a serious and life-threatening condition that currently has limited treatment options available. In fact, the mortality rate for ARDS is estimated to be between 30-50%, and the economic burden of ARDS is significant, with estimates suggesting that it costs the US healthcare system over $5 billion annually.
Development of this oral immunotherapy is based on Rise Therapeutics’ novel oral biologics drug delivery platform that leverages synthetic biology medicine. The drug delivery platform, called TriPartite X (TPX), is a novel DNA assembly approach that enables creation of cellular medicines that deliver targeted biological therapy. TPX enables the drug industry to step away from regular injections and infusion strategies for a more convenient ‘pill-based’ oral delivery perspective for biological medicines. TPX can be utilized to deliver a variety of protein-based drugs, including complex immunotherapy applications.
Rise Therapeutics is an experienced oral immunotherapeutics developer focused on creating cutting-edge products for the patients who need them the most. Rise Therapeutics has a robust therapeutics pipeline and is proud to partner with the NIH on this exciting program.
About Rise Therapeutics
Rise Therapeutics is an emerging, privately held company located in Rockville, Maryland which leverages its expertise in synthetic biology and immunological drug development to create novel cellular-based immune therapies. With a strong emphasis on product development and its internal clinical GMP manufacturing infrastructure, Rise is focused on developing immunological-based biological medicines using a unique and proprietary oral biologics delivery platform. Unlike traditional biological therapies which require injection or infusion, Rise Therapeutics’ delivery platform allows simple, convenient, and cost-effective oral capsule delivery of targeted protein therapy. The drug development focus at Rise is driven by new microbiome-related discoveries enabling development of rapidly advancing life changing cellular-based medicines to the market for the treatment of inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer, and infection. For more information, go to www.risetherapeutics.com.