26 March 2021 - - California, US-based biotechnology company Lassen Therapeutics has forged a collaboration with Los Angeles-based Cedars Sinai Medical Center, the company said.

The collaboration will study the role of IL-11 signaling and its inhibition in lung fibrosis, particularly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and the potential therapeutic effect of monoclonal antibodies that block this signaling in preclinical models.

IL-11, a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, is a central mediator of fibrosis.

Blocking IL-11 activity thus has the potential to be efficacious on its own or in combination with standard of care agents that target other fibroproliferative factors such as TGF-β, PDGF and CTGF.

The Cedars Sinai team is led by Cory Hogaboam, Ph.D., professor of medicine and a research scientist in the Women's Guild Lung Institute in the department of medicine. Dr. Hogaboam is a member of Lassen's scientific advisory board.

Lassen Therapeutics develops antibodies as potential treatments for fibrosis, rare diseases, and oncology.

The company's lead candidate is LASN-01, a best-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting IL-11 receptor alpha (IL-11R). IL-11, a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, is a central mediator of fibrosis and blocking its activity has the potential to be more effective than targeting other factors such as TGF-β and CTGF.

IL-11 is also a pivotal effector of tumor microenvironment organization and tumor growth, playing a key role as a mediator between cancer and stromal cells.