Lutris Pharma's Founder and Chairman of the Board Receives $5.0 Million Grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to Develop LUT017 for Wound Healing
Summary
TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lutris Pharma, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving anti-cancer therapies by reducing dose limiting side effects, today announced that the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded company Founder and Chairman of the Board, Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Professor of Surgery, and Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), a $5.0 million grant to be used for the further development of Lutris Pharmas LUT017 gel, a novel, small molecule inhibitor of BRAF, for skin regeneration and wound healing. Topical use of a BRAF inhibitor has been shown to regenerate skin stem cells in preclinical models, thereby accelerating wound closure and, with these studies, we aim to show that administration of LUT017 gel will regenerate cutaneous stem cells and induce keratinocyte proliferation, resulting in an improvement of venous leg ulcer non-healing wounds." Noa Shelach, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Lutris Pharma, noted, "The ability to complete this important, preclinical work, made possible by the grant funding from CIRM, signals the expansion of our novel product pipeline to non-oncological indications. Successful development of this program will enable use of this highly novel therapeutic option to those suffering from painful venous leg ulcers, which cause loss of function and mobility, social isolation and leads to increased time spent in hospitals." About Lutris Pharma Lutris Pharma is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving anti-cancer therapy effectiveness and quality of life for patients who are being treated with EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) inhibitors or with radiation, where dermal toxicity often leads to a reduction of anti-cancer therapy compliance.