ROME Therapeutics is presenting preclinical and non-interventional clinical data on its novel LINE-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) annual meeting, ACR Convergence 2024, held November 14-19 in Washington, D.C. The data supports the potential of these inhibitors as a new class of therapeutics for autoimmune diseases, particularly Type 1 interferonopathies.
Targeting LINE-1 RT to Suppress Interferon Responses
Building on previous findings, the new data further demonstrates the ability of ROME’s LINE-1 RT inhibitors to suppress aberrant activation of Type 1 interferon signaling. This mechanism is crucial in addressing diseases known as Type 1 interferonopathies, such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE), among other autoimmune conditions.
ROME Therapeutics is pioneering the understanding and targeting of LINE-1 RT, a virus-like repetitive element found in the dark genome. Under cellular stress and pathologic conditions, LINE-1 RT can activate the innate immune system by synthesizing RNA-DNA hybrids in the cytoplasm. These hybrids are detected by the cell as virus-like elements, triggering signaling via nucleic acid sensor pathways like cGAS/STING, and activating a Type 1 interferon response, mimicking an exogenous viral infection.
A Novel Non-Immunosuppressant Approach
"Our LINE-1 RT inhibitors block the formation of the virus-like RNA-DNA hybrids, stopping the driver of disease at the source, rather than the host response," a ROME Therapeutics spokesperson stated. This approach has the potential to be the first non-immunosuppressant treatment for Type 1 interferon-driven diseases, offering a new therapeutic avenue for patients.
The poster presentation, titled "Novel LINE-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Can Suppress Type I Interferon Responses and Are Promising Therapeutics for Lupus," will be presented on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm ET during Poster Session A.
