Ilya Pharma develops local-acting immunotherapies using therapeutic proteins produced by lactic acid bacteria, targeting skin and mucosal wounds while minimizing systemic side effects. The company addresses the challenge of multi-drug resistant pathogens and impaired immune responses in rare and metabolic diseases through precise, localized treatment delivery.
Funding
$18.4M 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.
EHFounders
Product
Problem
Current systemic immunotherapies and other treatments can impair immune cell function, especially in patients with rare or metabolic diseases. Traditional biologics and gene therapies may also be unsuitable for localized treatment of skin and mucosal wounds due to cost or delivery challenges. Multi-drug resistant pathogens further complicate wound healing.
Solution
Ilya Pharma is developing local-acting immunotherapies that deliver therapeutic proteins directly to the site of skin and mucosal wounds using live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as mini-bioreactors. This targeted approach aims to modulate the immune response and combat multi-drug resistant pathogens without the systemic side effects associated with traditional immunotherapies. The LAB produce well-known human therapeutic proteins locally, precisely where needed, enabling the use of a wide range of immune-active proteins unsuitable for traditional biologics or gene therapy. The company's lead asset, emilimogene sigulactibac (ILP100-Topical and ILP100-Oral), is classified as GTMP and gene therapy by the EMA and FDA.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with rare diseases, metabolic diseases, and those with impaired immune responses who require localized treatment for skin and mucosal wounds, as well as pharmaceutical companies seeking innovative immunotherapy platforms.
Features
- Local production of therapeutic proteins by live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) directly at the wound site.
- Utilizes a range of immune-active proteins unsuitable for traditional biologics or gene therapies.
- Cost-effective manufacturing process compared to traditional biologics.
- ILP100-Topical: Topical formulation for skin wounds.
- ILP100-Oral: Oral formulation for mucosal wounds, such as colitis.
- Potential to address multi-drug resistant pathogens in localized infections.