HOUSTON, June 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 7 Hills Pharma, a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on the development of drugs for treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious diseases, highlighted its integrin platform technology for improving immunotherapies in a video presentation at BIO Digital 2020 featuring President and CEO Upendra Marathi.
Dr. Marathi described how the company’s first-in-class, small molecule integrin activators promote cell adhesion, which is an essential element in generating antigen-specific immune responses. The orally administered compounds act as systemic adjuvants to augment the effectiveness of vaccines, such as those in development for Covid-19 and immune-oncology drugs. Preclinical studies also have shown the immune stimulants have a positive safety profile.
Here is a link to the 7 Hills Pharma BIO Digital 2020 video.
“We have this really remarkable set of small molecules that stabilize cell-cell interactions required for dialing up the immune system and locking in the power of any immunotherapy,” Marathi explained.
“The reason integrin-mediated cell adhesion is so important is if you don’t get the cell-cell interaction to increase the residence time with an antigen presenting cell or a T cell you will get poor responses to immune-oncology drugs as well as conventional vaccinations,” he added.
7 Hills Pharma’s Covid-19 vaccine program specifically addresses at-risk older people. “We expect our cell adhesion agents will greatly enhance the efficacy of emerging vaccines against this coronavirus,” Dr. Marathi said. “Although this approach is potentially applicable for all ages, older subjects have lower immune responses to vaccines, in general, and may respond particularly well.”
In addition to the Covid-19 program, 7 Hills Pharma is targeting its immune stimulating adjuvants for use with influenza vaccines and PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors for treatment of solid tumor cancers. The company is studying additional uses for its integrin activators, including potentially increasing the effectiveness of umbilical cord blood transplants for treatment of blood cancers.
About 7 Hills Pharma
7 Hills Pharma is focused on the development of novel and cost-efficient immunomodulatory agents that leverage well-known integrin biology to drive and enhance essential steps in the immune cycle. The company’s lead programs are designed to improve the effectiveness of immuno-oncology therapies including checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, and cord blood transplantation in the treatment of cancers and infectious diseases. For more information, visit http://www.7hillspharma.com
Media Contacts:
Robert Williams
Robert@7hillspharma.com