Telomere Therapeutics is developing an AAV-based telomerase gene therapy to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (iPF), a progressive lung disease with a median survival of less than five years. Their approach aims to repair telomeres in lung cells, potentially reversing disease progression and addressing a critical unmet medical need.
Funding
$2.9M 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
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (iPF) is a progressive lung disease with a poor prognosis, characterized by scarring of the lungs and a median survival of less than five years. Current treatments can only slow disease progression, and lung transplant, the standard of care for severe iPF, is applicable to less than 5% of patients. The molecular cause of iPF remains unknown, highlighting the need for disease-modifying therapies.
Solution
Telomere Therapeutics is developing AAV-based telomerase gene therapies designed to address the underlying telomere dysfunction associated with organ fibrosis and other telomere-related syndromes. Their lead program focuses on iPF, utilizing a gene therapy approach to repair telomeres in lung cells. By delivering an optimized sequence of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene via an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector, the therapy aims to promote telomere elongation specifically in alveolar cells of the lung epithelium. Preclinical results in animal models have demonstrated the potential to revert disease progression.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (iPF) and the healthcare providers who treat them, such as pulmonologists and specialists in interstitial lung diseases.
Features
- AAV-based gene therapy for targeted delivery of telomerase to lung cells
- Optimized TERT gene sequence for enhanced telomerase expression
- Designed to promote telomere elongation and reverse fibrosis in iPF
- Demonstrated disease reversion in preclinical animal models