VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 23, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Qu Biologics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing Site Specific Immunomodulators (SSIs) designed to “reboot” the body’s innate immune system, announces the peer-reviewed publication of proof of principle data in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the journal, Respiratory Research. The study demonstrates success with Qu Biologics’ QBKPN SSI in reducing airway inflammation in a smoke-induced lung inflammation mouse model of COPD.
COPD is a chronic disease of the lungs, often linked to smoking and/or air pollution, and is characterized by progressive obstruction in the lungs leading to shortness of breath and cough. COPD kills over 3 million people annually and is predicted to be the third most common cause of death globally by 2030.
The research, in collaboration with Dr. Jeremy Hirota (McMaster University), assessed Qu Biologics’ lung-targeted QBKPN Site Specific Immunomodulator (SSI) derived from the lung pathogen Klebsiella as an immunomodulatory therapy for smoke-induced lung inflammation. QBKPN SSI treatment, administered subcutaneously, resulted in decreased airway inflammation, with reduction in proinflammatory airway cytokines. Dr. Jeremy Hirota stated, “The use of microbial-derived products represents a novel approach to management of cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation and may provide a unique clinical strategy for individuals suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”
Dr. Hal Gunn, CEO of Qu Biologics added, “This latest positive data in COPD adds to the growing list of important chronic immune-related diseases, including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma, for which we have demonstrated proof-of-principle for SSI efficacy. We are excited about the broad applicability of our novel immunotherapy platform and its important clinical potential.”
The publication, entitled “Attenuating immune pathology using a microbial-based intervention in a mouse model of cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation,” was supported by Mitacs, a national, not-for-profit organization that has been building partnerships between academia and industry in Canada for 17 years. This open-access publication can be viewed online at https://respiratory-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12931-017-0577-y.
For more information about Qu Biologics and the science behind SSIs, please visit www.qubiologics.com.
About Qu Biologics
Qu Biologics is a Vancouver-based private clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing Site Specific Immunomodulators (SSI), a novel class of immunotherapies. SSIs are designed to stimulate an innate immune response in targeted organs or tissues to reverse the chronic inflammation underlying many conditions including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory lung disease and arthritis. SSIs are a broad platform technology being tested in multiple disease indications, including Health Canada approved clinical trials in lung cancer, Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
Backed by a prestigious group of scientific advisors and board members, Qu Biologics is led by a management team that includes co-founder and CEO Dr. Hal Gunn, a physician and expert on the body’s immune response to chronic disease; and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, former CEO of the BC Cancer Agency and a distinguished clinician, scientist and leader in cancer control in Canada and internationally.
About Dr. Hirota
The Hirota lab studies chronic respiratory diseases including asthma, COPD, and cystic fibrosis using a translational research strategy with in vitro cell culture models, in vivo pre-clinical models, and clinical studies. The lab research is guided by three mutually reinforcing foci: i) patient oriented research on respiratory mucosal immunology in health and disease, ii) small molecule drug discovery programs for commercialization opportunities, and iii) pure basic science characterization of the biology behind innate immune receptor and related signalling pathways. Dr. Hirota is a CIHR New Investigator, Assistant Professor of Medicine at McMaster University, and Affiliate Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia.
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