Autoimmunity BioSolutions raises $2M Series Seed to advance development of a next-generation, immuno-corrective therapy for autoimmune disease treatmentHOUSTON, November 21, 2024-- Autoimmunity BioSolutions (ABS), a biotechnology company pioneering a next-generation, immuno-corrective therapy for a highly prevalent, genetically-defined subpopulation of patients that suffer from autoimmune disease, announced the closing of a seed financing led by Eos BioInnovation, with participation from Alexandria Venture Investments, Independent Capital and others..

自身免疫生物解决方案（Autoimmunity BioSolutions）筹集了200万美元的系列种子，以推进下一代自身免疫性疾病治疗的免疫纠正疗法的开发。休斯顿，2024年11月21日-自身免疫生物解决方案（Autoimmunity BioSolutions，ABS），一家生物技术公司，开创了针对高度流行的，基因定义的自身免疫性疾病患者亚群的下一代免疫纠正疗法，宣布结束由Eos BioInnovation领导的种子融资，Alexandria Venture Investments，Independent Capital等参与。

ABS was founded based on the groundbreaking research of Drs. Gaddiel Galarza-Muñoz and Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco, when the Garcia-Blanco laboratory was at Duke University and University of Texas Medical Branch. ABS targets a branch of the Interleukin-7 (IL7) / Interleukin-7 receptor (IL7R) pathway controlled by the soluble Interleukin-7 receptor (sIL7R), a critical amplifier of autoimmune reactions.

ABS是基于加迪埃尔·加拉尔扎·穆尼奥斯博士和马里亚诺·加西亚·布兰科博士的开创性研究而成立的，当时加西亚·布兰科实验室位于杜克大学和德克萨斯大学医学院。

In particular, the founders discovered that a highly prevalent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that increases the risk and severity of autoimmune disease, does so by enhancing the expression of sIL7R. ABS has developed monoclonal antibodies highly specific for sIL7R. 'While the role of IL7 and IL7R in autoimmunity has been documented in the literature, our genetic and biochemical studies indicated that the alternative isoform – sIL7R – is the real culprit in this pathway, and thus the desired target of therapy', said Mariano A.

特别是，创始人发现，一种高度流行的单核苷酸多态性（SNP）通过增强sIL7R的表达来增加自身免疫性疾病的风险和严重程度。ABS已经开发出对sIL7R具有高度特异性的单克隆抗体。”Mariano A.说，虽然IL7和IL7R在自身免疫中的作用已有文献记载，但我们的遗传和生化研究表明，替代亚型sIL7R是该途径的真正罪魁祸首，因此是理想的治疗靶点。

Garcia-Blanco, MD, PhD, co-founder of ABS and currently Professor and Chair of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology at the University of Virginia..

加西亚·布兰科（GarciaBlanco），医学博士、博士，ABS联合创始人，现任弗吉尼亚大学微生物学、免疫学和癌症生物学教授兼主席。

The seed capital will fund the development of the company's lead program, a first-in-class series of monoclonal antibodies specifically targeting sIL7R while sparing membrane-bound IL7R. 'Our novel anti-sIL7R antibodies were developed to correct an over-reactive immune system in a genetically-defined population of patients with autoimmune disease', said Gaddiel Galarza-Muñoz, PhD, ABS co-founder and CSO.

种子资本将资助该公司的领先项目的开发，这是一系列一流的单克隆抗体，专门针对sIL7R，同时保留了膜结合的IL7R。”ABS联合创始人和CSO Gaddiel Galarza Muñoz博士说：“我们开发的新型抗sIL7R抗体是为了纠正遗传定义的自身免疫性疾病患者群体中过度反应的免疫系统。”

'The SNP and elevated sIL7R are associated with poor prognosis in numerous autoimmune diseases, such as greater risk of progressive disease as in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), worse disease activity in diseases like lupus nephritis, and poor response to therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. We believe that the sIL7R biology leading to those poor outcomes is driven by substantially greater accumulation of autoreactive effector and memory T cells over time, leading to exacerbation of disease severity.' .

“SNP和sIL7R升高与许多自身免疫性疾病的预后不良有关，例如进行性多发性硬化症（MS）中进行性疾病的风险更高，狼疮性肾炎等疾病的疾病活动性更差，类风湿性关节炎的治疗反应较差。我们认为，导致这些不良结果的sIL7R生物学是由于随着时间的推移，自身反应性效应细胞和记忆T细胞的积累大大增加，导致疾病严重程度加剧。”

Gene Williams, ABS CEO, said: 'I am thrilled to be part of this outstanding team in the effort to develop therapies that could be transformative for many patients with autoimmune disease and want to thank our outstanding group of investors for their support. ABS is in the forefront of a next generation of transformative therapies correcting the genetic drivers of disease in a genetically-defined population.

ABS首席执行官吉恩·威廉姆斯（GeneWilliams）表示：“我很高兴成为这个杰出团队的一员，致力于开发对许多自身免疫性疾病患者具有变革性的疗法，并感谢我们杰出的投资者团队的支持。ABS是纠正基因定义人群中疾病遗传驱动因素的下一代转化疗法的前沿。

Based on the known epidemiology and biology, we expect our therapies will have value in severe disease populations that are challenging to treat, such as progressive MS or lupus nephritis, where we might see efficient early proof of concept and possibly a rapid path to approval. In addition, we plan to collaborate with leaders in the field to explore the possibility that genetically-defined immuno-corrective therapy such as ours, with its likely safety advantages over current standards of care, could emerge as first line concomitant therapy for all patients with the SNP, to mitigate risk of disease progression as well as treat severe disease, and possibly to reduce the need for immunosuppression.'.

基于已知的流行病学和生物学，我们预计我们的治疗方法将对治疗具有挑战性的严重疾病人群具有价值，例如进行性MS或狼疮性肾炎，我们可能会看到有效的早期概念验证，并可能快速获得批准。此外，我们计划与该领域的领导者合作，探索像我们这样的基因定义的免疫纠正疗法可能会成为所有SNP患者的一线伴随疗法，因为它可能比目前的护理标准具有安全优势，以减轻疾病进展的风险并治疗严重疾病，并可能减少对免疫抑制的需求。

Brock Reeve, Chairman of ABS and CEO of Eos BioInnovation said: 'We are proud to lead ABS's first external financing and help bring the founders' scientific insight to the clinic and the market. ABS is an example of the type of groundbreaking early-stage innovation that is Eos' focus as a seed investor.

ABS董事长兼Eos BioInnovation首席执行官布罗克·里夫（Brock Reeve）表示：“我们很自豪能够领导ABS的首次外部融资，并帮助将创始人的科学见解带到诊所和市场。ABS是Eos作为种子投资者关注的开创性早期创新类型的一个例子。

We thank our co-investors who have joined us so far, and look forward to welcoming others into the syndicate to build a novel and potentially transformative approach to treat autoimmune diseases.'.

我们感谢迄今为止加入我们的共同投资者，并期待着欢迎其他人加入该财团，以建立一种新颖且可能具有变革性的方法来治疗自身免疫性疾病。”

About Autoimmunity BioSolutions

关于自身免疫生物解决方案

Autoimmunity BioSolutions (ABS) is a seed-stage biotech developing a next-generation, immuno-corrective antibody therapy for treatment of autoimmune diseases to restore normal immune function. This therapy is targeted to a genetically-defined subpopulation of autoimmune disease patients marked by a highly prevalent genetic variant (SNP) associated with increased risk and severity of various autoimmune diseases.

自身免疫生物解决方案（ABS）是一种种子阶段的生物技术，开发了下一代免疫纠正抗体疗法，用于治疗自身免疫性疾病以恢复正常的免疫功能。该疗法针对的是遗传定义的自身免疫性疾病患者亚群，其特征是与各种自身免疫性疾病的风险和严重程度增加相关的高度流行的遗传变异（SNP）。

This immuno-corrective approach to autoimmune disease treatment is highly differentiated from current standards of care that rely on immunosuppressive mechanisms, and has broad potential to treat numerous autoimmune diseases..

这种自身免疫性疾病治疗的免疫纠正方法与目前依赖免疫抑制机制的护理标准高度不同，并且具有治疗多种自身免疫性疾病的广泛潜力。

About Eos BioInnovation

关于Eos生物创新

Launched in 2021, Eos BioInnovation is a venture capital fund that focuses on building and launching early-stage companies in the regenerative medicine field. Eos works closely with founding scientists, entrepreneurs, fellow investors and strategic partners to ensure its portfolio companies' success in creating the therapies of tomorrow.Contact: .

Eos BioInnovation成立于2021年，是一家风险投资基金，专注于在再生医学领域建立和启动早期公司。Eos与创始科学家、企业家、投资者伙伴和战略合作伙伴密切合作，以确保其投资组合公司在创造未来疗法方面取得成功。联系人：

Eugene Williams, CEO, eugene@abstherapeutics.com

首席执行官尤金·威廉姆斯，eugene@abstherapeutics.com

Gaddiel Galarza-Munoz, CSO, gaddiel@abstherapeutics.com

Gaddiel Galarza Munoz，CSO，gaddiel@abstherapeutics.com