Areas of Interest

• Improving CAR-T and T cell therapies through metabolism

• Identification of unique metabolic targets that control inflammation, cancer, and autoimmunity and examination of their drugability

• Amino acid metabolism in health and disease

• The connection between micronutrients, immune cell activation, and disease

Problem Worth Solving #1

CAR-T cell therapy is a form of personalized immunotherapy, which trains T cells to kill tumors by recognizing a specific protein on the surface of cancerous cells. T cells are isolated from a patient and, following their genetic manipulation, are grown to large numbers for injection into the patient. CAR-T cells have revolutionized the treatment of certain hard-to treat blood cancers. However, manufacturing CAR-T cells is a complex and costly process. 

Our Solution

TCellAmp is a small organic molecule that amplifies the proliferative capacity of T cells including CAR-T cells. CAR-T cells manufactured with TCellAmp grow faster and exhibit superior killing properties after encountering tumor cells in a patient. TCellAmp reduces the need for extensive in vitro growth and decreases manufacturing costs.

Problem Worth Solving #2

A specific population of macrophages, named CX3CR1 macrophages, are abundant in the gut, where they play a key role in maintaining the intestinal barrier by: a) eliminating pathogens before they breach the barrier, and b) promoting wound healing in the case of an injury.

Alternations in the number of CX3CR1 macrophages or in their interaction with gut microbiota may lead to gut inflammation and the pathogenesis of diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Our Solution

Ergon Pharmaceuticals has designed small molecule enhancers of gut health, which ameliorate the symptoms of IBD by maintaining the population of CX3CR1 macrophages in the gut. These enhancers are currently in preclinical stage.