Eledon Pharmaceuticals Announces Use of Tegoprubart anti-CD40L Antibody in Second-ever Transplant of Genetically Modified Heart from a Pig to a Human
Landmark cardiac xenotransplantation procedure conducted at
Tegoprubart, administered investigationally to prevent organ rejection post-transplant, targets the CD40L pathway known to play an essential role in both innate and adaptive immune cell activation and function.
“This is a momentous milestone for the transplant community and serves as a testament to the continued progress being made towards advancing novel treatment options for patients requiring an organ transplant,” said
Following the successful transplantation, tegoprubart was administered to the patient as a novel, key component of a chronic immunosuppressive regimen designed to suppress the immune system and prevent the body from rejecting the implanted organ. In prior clinical research, tegoprubart has demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile across multiple indications, including kidney transplantation, as well as clinical benefit in the prevention of rejection and the protection of organs after transplantation.
“The historic procedure we conducted on our courageous patient brings us to a pivotal moment in the history of organ transplantation. It is also a critical step in our ongoing mission to address the growing shortage of available organs,” said
Eledon is advancing multiple research efforts related to the use of tegoprubart to reduce the risk of rejection in organ transplant. In collaboration with eGenesis, the company is currently advancing preclinical studies in which tegoprubart will be administered as part of an immunosuppression regimen to reduce the risk of rejection in nonhuman primate recipients in xenotransplant procedures. The company recently announced initiation of patient dosing in the phase 2 BESTOW clinical trial to further assess the use of tegoprubart in kidney transplantation and expects to present an updated readout from its ongoing phase 1b kidney transplantation study in
The Risk of Organ Failure in Transplantation
In transplantation procedures, organ rejection is a major cause of graft failure which can be a life-threatening condition. To reduce the risk of organ damage and rejection, patients are typically treated with immunosuppressive therapies including calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) such as tacrolimus. Strategies to better and more safely protect transplanted organs and thus increase how long they function represent a significant area of unmet need in organ transplantation.
About Eledon Pharmaceuticals and Tegoprubart (formerly AT-1501)
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Source: Eledon Pharmaceuticals
Source: Eledon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.