Medikine utilizes a versatile drug discovery platform to engineer modular PEPTIKINES, which are smaller and structurally distinct from natural cytokines, to enhance therapeutic efficacy in oncology, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. Their lead candidate, MDK-703, is an Fc-fusion protein that mimics IL-7, crucial for T cell maintenance, while avoiding the generation of neutralizing antibodies.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Cytokines, essential signaling proteins for immune cell function, often have limitations as therapeutics due to their large size, complex structure, and potential to induce neutralizing antibodies, which can reduce their efficacy. This can hinder their effectiveness in treating diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases.
Solution
Medikine is developing a new class of cytokine mimetics called PEPTIKINES, which are smaller and structurally distinct from natural cytokines. These modular PEPTIKINES are engineered to enhance therapeutic efficacy and avoid the generation of neutralizing antibodies. Medikine's versatile drug discovery platform allows for the optimization of these molecules for desired pharmacokinetic properties, cell targeting, and conditional activation. Their lead candidate, MDK-703, is an Fc-fusion protein containing an IL-7 PEPTIKINE that mimics the therapeutic properties of IL-7, a cytokine critical for T cell differentiation, maintenance, and survival.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases who may benefit from improved cytokine-based therapies.
Features
- PEPTIKINES are substantially smaller molecules than cytokines, facilitating easier modification for improved pharmacokinetics.
- PEPTIKINES are structurally unrelated to natural cytokines, reducing the risk of generating neutralizing antibodies.
- Modular design allows for the incorporation of cell-targeting moieties and conditional activation mechanisms.
- Lead candidate MDK-703 mimics the therapeutic properties of IL-7, a key cytokine for T cell function.
- Utilizes a peptide library screening technology, combinatorial synthetic peptide ligation chemistry, and protein engineering.