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Our Science
R&D Roadmap
KINE SCIENCES’ technological platform starts from peptide monotherapy and evolves to peptide cocktail therapy combined with functional immunomics & AI.
Platform Technology
We have ground-breaking works related to a novel cytokine, ERDR1(Erythroid Differentiation Regulator 1) which is a downstream of IL-18.
Starting from there, we derive drug candidates for chronic immune disorders using our proprietary technology of discovering and screening “immune-modulating” small peptide molecules. Synthetic peptides comprised of less than 10 natural amino acids are hardly recognized by human immune surveillance system, which is a very attractive property of a drug candidate for chronic diseases.KINE SCIENCES technology platform make it possible to establish a peptide library that leads to drug candidates of 1) superior safety profile and 2) oral administration.
What is Cytokine?
Cytokines are a large group of proteins, peptides or glycoproteins that are secreted by specific cells of immune system.
Cytokines are a category of signaling molecules that mediate and regulate immunity, inflammation and hematopoiesis.Cytokines are produced throughout the body by cells of diverse embryological origin. Cytokines are crucial for fighting off infections and in other immune responses.
However, when they become dysregulated, they cause various abnormal immune reactions resulting in immune or inflammatory diseases.
Most of treatments for immune or inflammatory diseases aim to regulate the level of dysregulated cytokines and they face challenges of drug resistance.
KINE SCIENCES takes a differential approach where long-term safety of drug candidates are assured while immunomodulatory function is retained.
What is ERDR1?
ERDR1 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine downstream of IL-18.
Dr. Daeho Cho, one of the founder of KINE SCIENCES discovered the function of ERDR1 for the first time in the world in 2010 and Dr. Cho’s laboratory accounts for 60% of research publication worldwide.How we derive drug candidates from ERDR1?
ERDR1, a cytokine of 177 amino acids, are broken down into each functional units, reduced the size of each unit, and then selected minimal size peptides which retain biological function.Sequence modifications were employed for two purposes: 1) to derive NCEs of novel sequence for claiming patent rights on the sequence/substance, 2) to make drug candidates orally administrable.
Pipeline
KINE-101A for Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
RA is a representative autoimmune disease accompanied with severe pain and dysfunction of joints.
Largely 1% of global population suffer from RA and RA is the biggest autoimmune diseases at present.
Despite recent launches of new drugs for RA, most drugs have problems of toxicity and drug resistance when they are administered in the long-term.
Therefore, there are unmet medical needs for drugs of novel mode of action and long-term safety.
Largely 1% of global population suffer from RA and RA is the biggest autoimmune diseases at present.
Despite recent launches of new drugs for RA, most drugs have problems of toxicity and drug resistance when they are administered in the long-term.
Therefore, there are unmet medical needs for drugs of novel mode of action and long-term safety.
KINE-101A is a synthetic peptide consisting of 9 amino acids.
By selectively activating Treg cells it reduces production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, decreases formation of anti-drug antibodies, and restores balances between disease-causing T cells and Treg cells.
KINE-101A shows excellent efficacy and safety profile in animal studies and is ready for Phase 1 IND.
By selectively activating Treg cells it reduces production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, decreases formation of anti-drug antibodies, and restores balances between disease-causing T cells and Treg cells.
KINE-101A shows excellent efficacy and safety profile in animal studies and is ready for Phase 1 IND.
KINE-101B for Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Two major diseases of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Though underlying causes of these diseases have yet to be found, abnormal intestinal immunity is thought to bring about excessive inflammation in the gut. Symptoms are abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea and fever, which severely hurts patients’ quality of life.
Since largely 50% of patients do not respond to current treatments, development of drugs of novel mechanism are much needed.
Though underlying causes of these diseases have yet to be found, abnormal intestinal immunity is thought to bring about excessive inflammation in the gut. Symptoms are abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea and fever, which severely hurts patients’ quality of life.
Since largely 50% of patients do not respond to current treatments, development of drugs of novel mechanism are much needed.
KINE-101C for a Neuro-inflammatory disease
KINE-101C is for treating a neuro-inflammatory disease for which only palliative treatments are currently available.
Efficacy of KINE-101C in animal model is confirmed and it is currently dose ranging studies in animals. Given this neuro-inflammatory disease belongs to rare diseases, KINE-101C will move forward Phase 1/2 once its safety is confirmed during by KINE-101A Phase 1 study.
Efficacy of KINE-101C in animal model is confirmed and it is currently dose ranging studies in animals. Given this neuro-inflammatory disease belongs to rare diseases, KINE-101C will move forward Phase 1/2 once its safety is confirmed during by KINE-101A Phase 1 study.
KINE-201C for Atopic dermatitis (AD)
AD is an inflammatory dermatological disorder prevalent both in children and adults.
Patients of AD have comorbidities such as asthma and allergic rhinitis and AD is known to be caused by various allergens like pyroglyphidae.
Representative symptom of AD is severe itchiness that disturbs sleep and tends to become chronic and recur.
Anti-histamines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID), and oral steroids have been used and monoclonal antibody drugs are very recently launched. Given the chronic, recurring nature of AD, drugs of novel mode of action with superior long-term safety are much needed.
Patients of AD have comorbidities such as asthma and allergic rhinitis and AD is known to be caused by various allergens like pyroglyphidae.
Representative symptom of AD is severe itchiness that disturbs sleep and tends to become chronic and recur.
Anti-histamines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID), and oral steroids have been used and monoclonal antibody drugs are very recently launched. Given the chronic, recurring nature of AD, drugs of novel mode of action with superior long-term safety are much needed.
KINE-201 inhibits production of TSLP and regulates function of disease-causing T cells. KINE-201 proves its
efficacy in animal studies and is currently under GLP studies.