Eilean Therapeutics LLC, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing small molecule inhibitors to target resistance mechanisms in hematologic and solid malignancies, has acquired Ness Therapeutics Inc in an all-equity transaction.
 
Ness is developing PTPN2 inhibitors, providing an immuno-oncological therapy with an improved safety and tolerability profile.
 
Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2), also known as T cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP), is ubiquitously expressed, primarily in hematopoietic and placental cells.  As a critical negative regulator of the JAK-STAT pathway, PTPN2 functions to directly regulate signaling through cytokine receptors, including IFNγ. Thus, enhancing IFNγ sensing and signaling through the inhibition of PTPN2 is a potential therapeutic strategy to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy regimens.
 
Ness’ lead molecules demonstrate sub-nanomolar PTPN2/PTPN1 inhibitory activity and outstanding > 1000-fold selectivity against all other phosphatases, exhibit high oral bioavailability and good safety. In addition, lead inhibitors induce tumor cells’ susceptibility to IFNγ and suppress their growth with a high efficacy.

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