RaeSedo Inc., a University of Arizona spin-out company, has been awarded a $3.4 million Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase 2 grant to advance its novel asthma therapies. The funding will support the development of small peptides derived from Surfactant Protein-A (SP-A), a protein found in the lungs known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
The company's research is based on the discovery that many asthma patients have reduced levels of SP-A, which protects against inhaled pathogens. RaeSedo Inc. believes that SP-A derived peptidomimetics can be used to develop innovative therapies to reduce lung inflammation and improve patient outcomes.
Addressing Unmet Needs in Asthma Treatment
According to Dr. Monica Kraft, Chief Medical Officer of RaeSedo Inc., current asthma treatments are effective but not always sufficient, and asthma complications continue to cause significant health problems. The annual healthcare expenditures for treating severe asthma in the U.S. alone amount to $21 billion.
Dr. Julie Ledford, Chief Scientific Officer, emphasized that existing asthma treatments do not eliminate all exacerbations. "There is critical need to develop new therapies treating asthma and other inflammatory lung diseases, and that's exactly our goal," she stated.
Preclinical Development and Future Clinical Trials
RaeSedo Inc. has successfully completed Phase 1 milestones, including the development of small peptides derived from SP-A. The Phase 2a grant will be used to evaluate the compound in animal models. If the preclinical studies are successful, RaeSedo Inc. plans to advance the new class of asthma therapeutics into human clinical trials.
The company's focus on SP-A derived peptidomimetics represents a novel approach to asthma treatment by targeting the inflammatory environment in the lungs of asthma patients.
