Nantes, France – April 30th, 2024 - InFlectis BioScience, a pioneer in developing first-in-class therapies for neuromuscular diseases, announces that it has been awarded a $649,601 grant from the National MS Society’s commercial research initiative Fast Forward to advance IFB-048 preclinical development in Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
No cure for MS is known. Available treatments attempt to reduce the incidence and the severity of new lesions on the myelin sheath by limiting the activity and availability of immune cells. This manifests clinically through reductions in relapse rates and the progression of disability. As inflammatory events accumulate, remissions (the period when symptoms dissipate) become less common, however cells that can repair lesions lose function. Consequently, there is an urgent need for new treatments that protect myelin and enhance remyelination to preserve axonal integrity and increase clinical function of people with MS.
The goal of InFlectis’ approach is to protect the cells that maintain and repair the myelin sheath, the oligodendrocytes, from death induced by inflammation. Prof. Popko’s laboratory at Northwestern University has identified a pathway inside the cell, named Integrated Stress Response (ISR), which upon activation by chemical compounds such as guanabenz and IFB-088/sephin1, is able to protect oligodendrocytes and myelin.
Prof. Brian Popko, PhD, Scientific Director of the Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology in the Department of Neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine that will be collaborating with InFlectis, commented: “We have evaluated in a clinical trial in people with MS a first-generation compound able to boost the ISR. This compound, guanabenz, is an FDA-approved anti-hypertensive drug tailored for cardiovascular disease and not optimal for targeting MS. InFlectis identified a derivative of guanabenz, IFB-048, which eliminates the hypotensive properties of guanabenz with potentially greater potency for targeting the ISR. In animal models of MS, we confirmed that another guanabenz-related compound, IFB-088, was able to protect oligodendrocytes and myelin against the inflammatory environment.”
InFlectis’s CEO, Pierre Miniou, Ph.D., explained, “This grant along with the support from the Society are a testimony to the potential of IFB-048 in Multiple Sclerosis. This project is an opportunity to speed-up the development of a promising drug candidate, which could constitute a paradigm shift for the benefit of people with MS.”
The National MS Society, a leading advocate in the fight against MS, recognizes the potential of InFlectis' technology and approach in the battle against this devastating disease. Walter Kostich, Ph.D., Associate Vice President, Translational Research at the Society, echoed Pierre Miniou's sentiments, stating, "We look forward to the results of these experiments, and hope that IFB-048 continues to show promise for promoting myelin repair and stopping MS progression in its tracks."
This project funded by the National MS Society aims to demonstrate that IFB-048 can protect oligodendrocytes and/or neurons and to enhance the remyelination of neurons in an inflammatory environment in validated MS mice models. The distribution of IFB-048 in the animal brain and spinal cord will be evaluated together with its metabolic properties.
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. Currently there is no cure. Symptoms vary from person to person and may include disabling fatigue, mobility challenges, cognitive changes, and vision issues. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to minimize disability. Significant progress is being made to achieve a world free of MS.
