Addimmune is developing a gene and cell therapy aimed at achieving durable remission from HIV with a single treatment. The project leverages expertise in the HIV genome and human biology to create novel therapeutic opportunities. This work focuses on providing individuals living with HIV an alternative to lifelong antiretroviral therapy.
Funding
$50M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Current HIV treatments require lifelong adherence to medication, which can be physically and emotionally demanding, and are not accessible to everyone globally. These treatments manage the virus but do not eliminate it, leaving individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and facing persistent stigma.
Solution
Addimmune is developing AGT103-T, a gene therapy that modifies a patient's T cells to resist HIV infection and suppress viral replication, potentially leading to a functional cure. The therapy uses a lentiviral vector to deliver modifying microRNAs (miRNAs) to CD4 T cells, preventing HIV from binding and replicating. By blocking CCR5, a key co-receptor for HIV entry, and targeting conserved sites in the HIV genome, AGT103-T aims to provide broad protection against the virus. Early clinical trial data suggests that AGT103-T is well-tolerated and may enhance the immune response, offering a potential one-time solution for managing HIV without daily medication.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes individuals living with HIV, as well as researchers and clinicians focused on developing advanced HIV treatments and functional cures.
Features
- Lentiviral vector delivery of HIV-modifying miRNAs to CD4 T cells
- CCR5 blocking to prevent HIV entry into cells
- miRNA targeting of conserved HIV genome sites to inhibit viral replication
- Autologous T cell therapy approach
- Demonstrated engraftment and persistence of modified CD4 T cells in Phase 1a clinical study
- Observed expansion of CD4 T cells post-infusion
- Analytical treatment interruption (ATI) studies showing increased CD8 cell count and stable CD4 cell count
- Potential for autovaccination with repeated ATIs, leading to reduced peak viremia