Introduction:
Hornet Therapeutics Ltd has published first data on its preclinical IDO1 blocker HTX-201, a cancer drug licensed from Kyowa Kirin. The company aims to use a $5m seed financing to launch clinical tests of HTX-201 within the next 12 to 18 months to target post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD), a disease triggered by the Epstein Barr virus (EBV).
- Hornet Therapeutics Ltd has published first data on its preclinical IDO1 blocker HTX-201, a cancer drug licensed from Kyowa Kirin.
- HTX-201 is designed to block a target, IDO-1, used by EBV to efficiently establish latent infection and cause PTLD.
- New data published in Science confirms that blocking IDO-1 inhibits B cell transformation and EBV-driven pathogenesis in vitro and in animal models.
- IDO-1 expression in EBV-infected B cells, and a serum signature of increased IDO1 activity, preceded the development of lymphoma in transplant patients.
- Hornet Therapeutics aims to develop HTX-201 for the prevention of PTLD in high-risk solid organ transplant patients.
Conclusion:
Hornet Therapeutics has reported the first data on its IDO1 blocker HTX-201, which shows promise in inhibiting EBV-driven diseases, including lymphomas. The company aims to begin clinical trials within the next 12 to 18 months to further investigate the safety and efficacy of HTX-201 in preventing post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. This research represents a novel early intervention approach for targeting EBV-associated diseases and has the potential to address a significant unmet need in solid organ transplant populations.
