Impilo Therapeutics develops the Impilo Platform™, which enhances the efficacy of nucleic acid-based therapies such as siRNA and mRNA for treating solid tumor cancers. The platform addresses the limitations of current therapeutic modalities, enabling more effective in vivo gene editing and targeted treatment options.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Nucleic acid-based medicines, such as siRNA and mRNA, hold promise for treating solid tumor cancers, but their efficacy is limited by the tumor stroma, which hinders drug delivery to cancer cells. This extracellular matrix surrounding cancer cells prevents effective penetration and distribution of therapeutics within the tumor microenvironment.
Solution
Impilo Therapeutics is developing the Impilo Platform™, a targeted delivery system designed to enhance the penetration of nucleic acid-based therapies into solid tumors. The platform utilizes a Tumor-Penetrating Nanocomplex (TPN) that targets integrins on tumor vasculature and stromal cells, initiating an active transport pathway. This pathway enables the TPN, along with tethered nucleic acid-based drugs like ASOs, siRNAs, and mRNAs, to penetrate the stroma and reach cancer cells more effectively. By overcoming the delivery challenges posed by the tumor microenvironment, the Impilo Platform™ aims to improve the therapeutic efficacy of nucleic acid-based medicines in treating solid tumor cancers.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes pharmaceutical companies and research institutions developing nucleic acid-based therapies for solid tumor cancers, as well as clinicians seeking more effective treatment options for their patients.
Features
- Proprietary tumor-targeted tissue penetrating peptide (iRGD) for selective binding to tumor vasculature and stroma.
- Active transport mechanism to facilitate drug penetration through the tumor microenvironment.
- Compatibility with various nucleic acid-based therapeutic modalities, including ASOs, siRNAs, and mRNAs.
- Potential to target additional cell types within the tumor, such as tumor-associated macrophages.
- Versatile carrier formats and technologies to optimize application across different nucleic acid-based treatments.