RDP Pharma AG, a Swiss biotechnology company specializing in next-generation protein degradation therapeutics, has announced a strategic research collaboration with Singapore's Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC) to develop innovative treatments for autoimmune diseases. The partnership aims to create monovalent targeted protein degraders as potential new therapeutic options for patients suffering from chronic and debilitating autoimmune conditions.
Rising Global Burden of Autoimmune Diseases
The collaboration comes at a critical time as epidemiological studies reveal alarming trends in autoimmune disease prevalence worldwide. Global incidence and prevalence of autoimmune diseases are rising significantly, with some estimates suggesting annual increases of 19.1% and 12.5%, respectively. The number of incident cases of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease has grown substantially across all regions.
Addressing Unmet Medical Needs
Despite significant advances in autoimmune disease therapies over recent years, substantial gaps remain in treatment options. Current therapeutic approaches often fall short in providing treatments with fewer side effects, better or more sustained efficacy, and viable options for patients who do not respond to existing treatments. This unmet medical need has created an urgent demand for innovative therapeutic approaches.
Strategic Partnership Leveraging Complementary Expertise
The collaboration strategically combines the unique strengths of both organizations. RDP Pharma brings its proprietary PromptDegrader™ platform and specialized expertise in rational protein degrader design to the partnership. EDDC, Singapore's national platform for drug discovery and development hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), contributes its integrated capabilities in target biology, drug discovery, and translational research.
Targeted Protein Degradation Approach
The partnership's primary objective is to develop an oral therapeutic that selectively degrades a key driver of dysfunctional immune responses in autoimmune diseases. This targeted protein degradation approach represents a novel therapeutic strategy that could potentially offer improved specificity and reduced side effects compared to conventional treatments.
The monovalent targeted protein degraders being developed through this collaboration represent an emerging class of therapeutics that could transform treatment paradigms for patients with autoimmune conditions. By focusing on selective degradation of specific proteins driving immune dysfunction, this approach may offer more precise therapeutic intervention while minimizing off-target effects.
