Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNPX) told investors it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with the University of Pittsburgh, granting the company a worldwide, exclusive license to a patent application and related technology and a worldwide, non-exclusive license to use certain related know-how.
The Austin, Texas-based company said the agreements are all related to gene therapy for Type 2 diabetes using the genes of the Pdx1 and MafA transcription factors.
“This marks the company's third technology license this year supporting our diabetes program, demonstrating the continued strengthening of our intellectual property portfolio, our diabetes program, and our position as a lead innovator in emerging diabetes gene therapies," Genprex president and CEO Rodney Varner said in a statement
READ: Genprex says research collaborators to present preclinical data highlighting potential of its gene therapy for Type 1 diabetes at Berlin conference
"We are thrilled to have secured multiple cutting-edge technologies from Pitt that expand our diabetes gene therapy program and specifically target Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes,” he added.
The company explained that the preclinical technology, GPX-003, is believed to work by rejuvenating diminished beta cells to increase insulin expression by introducing transcription factors controlled by an insulin promoter.
"With this license agreement, Genprex now has a drug product candidate for Type 1 diabetes, GPX-002, that uses a glucagon promoter specifically optimized for use in alpha cells and another drug product candidate, GPX-003 for Type 2 diabetes, that uses an insulin promoter optimized for beta cells," Genprex chief medical officer Dr Mark Berger said.
"Both product candidates are based on the same general gene therapy approach under Genprex's original license that is comprised of a novel infusion process that uses an endoscope and an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector to deliver Pdx1 and MafA genes directly to the pancreas. Each of these technologies may have the potential to provide long-term efficacy and to change the course of this disease for the millions of patients around the world with diabetes," he added.
Genprex noted that all of the diabetes technologies licensed from the University of Pittsburgh are from laboratory of Dr George Gittes, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Earlier license agreement
The company also recently announced a license agreement with the University of Pittsburgh for a preclinical technology that transforms macrophages enabling them to reduce autoimmune activity in Type 1 diabetes, a technology that could be complementary to the company's GPX-002 diabetes technology.
It explained that in models of Type 1 diabetes, GPX-002 transforms alpha cells in the pancreas into functional beta-like cells, which can produce insulin but are distinct enough from beta cells to evade the body's immune system. GPX-003 for Type 2 diabetes, where autoimmunity is not at play, is believed to rejuvenate and replenish exhausted beta cells.
Earlier studies in diabetic mouse models showed that an earlier version of GPX-002 restored normal blood glucose levels for an extended period, typically around four months. It is believed that the duration of restored blood glucose levels in mice could translate to decades in humans. Preliminary data from a more recent study in a non-human primate model of Type 1 diabetes also have been promising and are expected to be presented at a scientific meeting during the first quarter of 2023.
The company noted that over 537 million people around the world have diabetes, and in the US alone, there are 37.3 million people with diabetes. In 2021, diabetes took the lives of more than 6.7 million people, it added.
Genprex is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes. The company's technologies are designed to administer disease-fighting genes to provide new therapies for large patient populations with cancer and diabetes who currently have limited treatment options.
Genprex works with world-class institutions and collaborators to develop drug candidates to further its pipeline of gene therapies to provide novel treatment approaches.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com