February 14, 2023
Thylacine Biotherapeutics Inc. ("Thylacine Bio"), a privately held biotech company dedicated to combating infectious disease, announced today it has entered into a license agreement with Columbia University ("Columbia") for worldwide exclusive rights to develop and commercialize a novel antiviral peptide platform.
Leading virologists, Matteo Porotto, PhD and Anne Moscona, MD, President-Elect of the American Society for Virology, of Columbia's Center for Host Pathogen Interaction, invented and refined this antiviral platform. Through a mechanism of action known as fusion inhibition, Thylacine Bio's licensed peptides bind to a specific structure on a virus that is necessary for cell entry. As a result, the peptides prevent infection, maintain potency as a virus evolves, and offer broad spectrum protection.
Platform lipopeptides can be rapidly and reactively engineered to respond to an outbreak within days. Thylacine Bio's lead lipopeptide, THY-01, was identified by the inventors just two weeks after the COVID-19 genetic sequence became known. Other benefits of THY-01 include protection against upper respiratory infection and progression to severe disease, reduction of transmission, and self-administration by delivery via the respiratory tract.
THY-01 also exhibits pan-coronavirus inhibition, with efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, MERS, SARS, and coronaviruses that cause the common cold. The Company is currently conducting pre-clinical studies in preparation for human trials.
Read the full press release from Thylacine Biotherapeutics Inc.
Virology
Columbia University
Harrington Award for Coronavirus