Our Philosophy
We believe in a combination of innovation and translation. Next-generation broad-spectrum medicines are both possible and needed to protect us against the next pandemic, so we initiate research programs to de-risk the most promising ideas for new broad-spectrum medicines. But we also recognize that ideas and research by themselves don’t make an impact — ultimately, we need medicines on the shelf. Our job isn’t done until our medicines are ready for patients to use, so we seek partnerships to help translate our research to reality.
Our Research: Synthetic Innate Immunity
The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense against infection. By taking inspiration from natural mechanisms of innate immunity, the Synthetic Innate Immunity program aims to develop medicines that can similarly provide immediate protection against pandemic viruses, such that these medicines could serve as society’s first line of defense against emerging viral outbreaks.
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) are two important components of the innate immune system. PRRs typically recognize broadly conserved signals of viral infection—most commonly, the presence of viral double-stranded RNA—and trigger the expression of ISGs, the products of which act to inhibit viral replication. Together, PRRs and ISG products form a sense-and-respond system that acts broadly against viral infection. By encoding natural or engineered versions of these innate immune proteins in DNA delivered to the respiratory tract, we could persistently enhance a patient’s natural sense-and-respond capacity, potentially providing prophylactic protection against a broad range of respiratory viruses for months.
The Synthetic Innate Immunity program focuses on developing each separate component of these DNA-encoded broad-spectrum antivirals: the encoded innate immune protein, the DNA vector, and the formulation for delivery. After optimizing each component, we test candidates in vivo for safety and efficacy against viral challenge.