The biotechnology company has established a promising in-vivo platform for the development of its lead therapy, a monoclonal antibody that stops blistering in chronic skin conditions without suppressing the immune system.
MILAN, ITALY / ACCESSWIRE / January 19, 2023 / PinCell, a biotechnology company developing a first-in-class therapy for rare and debilitating autoimmune skin blistering diseases, has announced the generation of a transgenic mouse model that will provide an effective in-vivo platform for the development of its lead candidate. This innovative therapy is a fully human anti-FasL monoclonal antibody that stops blistering, without suppressing the immune system, thus avoiding side effects typical of immune-suppressant treatments.
In two independent studies, PinCell's lead candidate has shown the reduction or the prevention of the formation of blisters in ex-vivo human models of pemphigus. The new mouse model will allow the production of in-vivo proof of concept data and the development of a solid understanding of how the antibody's blockade of excess human soluble Fas ligand relates to the effective treatment of pemphigus.
The company's newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Antonino (Tony) Amato, said PinCell's transgenic mouse model will provide "the icing on the cake" on what has been proven so far. "The mouse genome was modified so that mice would produce the human FasL protein, allowing the use of our human antibody against it, by selectively recognizing the human form of such a protein. The humanized FasL mouse model is a valuable tool to study the involvement of the Fas/FasL pathway also in other diseases in which this pathway may play a key role in disease development and progression."
Pemphigus is a rare condition that affects about 330,000 patients worldwide. Conservatively, a treatment based on PC111 would be beneficial for over 30 percent of this population who are relapsing or refractory to first line treatments.
PinCell's therapy will be an alternative to steroids or immunosuppressants currently prescribed or under development. By acting downstream to the immune system, at the level of skin cells, this new mode of action will contribute to the reduction or the avoidance of steroids/immunosuppressants.
Luigi Costa, Chairman of PinCell's Board of Directors, commented: "We are pleased to welcome Tony during this important time in the company's development. He brings to PinCell a very relevant expertise in drug development and the leadership needed to guide the company to accelerate the development of our lead therapeutic candidate."
About PinCell
PinCell is a biotechnology company targeting a novel pathological pathway to develop first-in-class anti-inflammatory therapies for the treatment of rare, severe and highly undertreated skin diseases. Based in Milan, Italy, PinCell was founded in October 2008 as an academic spin-off of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia by the world-class dermatology experts Prof. Carlo Pincelli and Prof. Alessandra Marconi. PinCell received seed funding from Sofinnova Partners.
For more information, please visit: www.pincell.it
Contact:
Tony Amato
CEO, PinCell
[email protected]
+39-334-6263471
SOURCE: PinCell