- Funding will support research to evaluate a pharmacological regenerative treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) targeting the senescent niche of lung progenitor cells.
- The company will also conduct efficacy studies of the lead senolytic compound on a humanized IPF model.
Rubedo Life Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing first-in-class therapies for chronic age-related diseases targeting senescent cells that drive cellular aging, announced that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded the company an $1.45M grant. This funding will support research and development of a pharmacological regenerative treatment of IPF targeting senescent lung stem cells.
The grant funding will enable Rubedo to characterize senescence cells, including senescent stem and progenitor cells in the lung of patients affected by IPF, a novel therapeutic opportunity to develop disease-modifying interventions for this chronic degenerative disease, as well as screen a library of senolytic small molecule prodrugs on IPF primary cells. The goal is to develop a clinical study of the lead senolytic compound on the humanized IPF model.
Senescent cells are a pathogenic cell type that emerges with disease, which are pro-inflammatory, pro-fibrotic and pro-cancerogenic cells caused by different types of cellular stress and damage. As individuals age, senescent cells accumulate in the body in multiple tissues. Cellular senescence is a master regulator of aging and drives many age-related diseases.
Progressive pulmonary fibrosis is an age-related degenerative interstitial lung disease that affects an increasing number of individuals globally. The reasons for this increase include a growing aging population, decreased air quality due to increased air pollution, partially driven by climate change, and the virus SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 survivors. The proposed therapy will benefit less privileged aging populations affected by these environmental hazards.
“We are delighted to partner with CIRM and appreciate their recognition of the importance of advancing research to identify stem cell-based therapeutics that selectivity target pathologic senescent cells that drive cellular aging,” said Marco Quarta, PhD, CEO of Rubedo Life Sciences. “Our team has shown promising results in preclinical studies and look forward to identifying and nominating a small molecule development candidate with the potential to address a significant unmet need in patients who suffer from IPF and could become a new treatment option to improve the quality of life for affected individuals.”
“Our goal is to always move the most promising research forward as fast as we can,” said Dr. Maria Millan, president and CEO of CIRM. “That’s why these programs are so important. They reflect potential therapeutic approaches that have shown promise in the lab and are ready to take the next step, to undergo further testing and examination to see if they work safely in patients.”
Rubedo Life Sciences has partnered with Cedars-Sinai to investigate the development of novel selective senolytics designed to clear senescent cells implicated in IPF. Cory Hogaboam, PhD, professor of medicine at Cedars-Sinai, is leading the research for Cedars-Sinai that is supported by a grant from the CIRM.
