Tiziana Life Sciences Ltd (NASDAQ:TLSA) said Thursday it plans to advance development of TZLS-501, an antibody that blocks a key inflammatory pathway, at a time when big drugmakers are paying closer attention to the area.
The Boston-based biotech said the therapy targets the interleukin-6 receptor, or IL-6R.
This means it has the potential to treat a wide range of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lung damage linked to acute respiratory distress syndrome, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
The company licensed the drug from Swiss group Novimmune in 2017.
Unlike some existing medicines, TZLS-501 works in two ways. It blocks both the receptor that sits on cell surfaces and the soluble form that circulates in the bloodstream.
By doing so, it aims not only to interrupt the body’s inflammatory signalling but also to reduce the overall level of IL-6, a cytokine protein that drives immune activity. Excessive IL-6 signalling is thought to contribute to chronic inflammation, scarring and tissue damage.
Chief Executive Ivor Elrifi said the time was right to move the project forward.
“Novartis’s recent acquisition of Tourmaline demonstrates how IL-6 therapy is increasingly valued in treating systemic inflammation and related diseases,” he said.
The Swiss drugmaker agreed this month to buy Tourmaline Bio for about $1.4 billion, underscoring the interest in the pathway.
Tiziana’s main focus remains its lead candidate, foralumab, an antibody delivered intranasally that is being tested in multiple sclerosis. But the company said it now sees room to develop TZLS-501 alongside foralumab, potentially as a complementary therapy.
The company added it intends to use “non-dilutive funding strategies” for TZLS-501, meaning it will look for partnerships, licensing deals or grants rather than raising money directly from investors.
That approach reflects the high costs of drug development while signalling to shareholders that management doesn’t want to dilute equity at this stage.
IL-6 drugs are already an established category: Roche’s Actemra, an IL-6 receptor blocker, was widely used during the Covid-19 pandemic to treat severe cases of respiratory distress.
But Tiziana believes its dual mechanism, addressing both receptor signalling and circulating IL-6, could set TZLS-501 apart from existing therapies.
Tiziana is still in early stages with TZLS-501 and has not yet disclosed specific trial plans.
For now, the company is positioning the antibody as a second pillar in its pipeline, aiming to capture momentum in a space where large pharmaceutical groups are once again making big bets.