Investment funds development of ‘Goldilocks’ treatment for dry eyes
Stellular lands early-stage financing to advance STLR-201 to clinical testing
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Stellular Bio has raised early-stage investment to advance its treatment candidate, STLR-201, into clinical testing as a potential off-the-shelf therapeutic option for dry eye caused by Sjögren’s disease.
Part of a therapy class called platelet-derived regenerative biologics (PRBs), STLR-201 is derived from stem cells that can produce platelets, blood components that are key to blood clotting, and also release signals that help tissues repair.
“PRBs are Goldilocks-like treatments that combine the regenerative potential and inherent polypharmacology of [blood] and cell therapies with the reproducibility and economy of scale of traditional biologics,” Derek Adams, PhD, Stellular’s CEO, said in a company press release announcing the closing of the Series 1 financing round.
Polypharmacology refers to a molecule’s ability to interact with multiple biological targets or pathways, rather than the traditional, one drug-one target approach. Biologics are therapies derived from living organisms.
In Sjögren’s disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks the glands that produce tears and saliva, causing symptoms such as dry eyes and dry mouth. The disease can occur on its own or in conjunction with other autoimmune diseases.
Eye damage can lead to vision loss
Since the cause of Sjögren’s remains largely unknown, treatment largely focuses on easing symptoms and preventing complications. Left untreated, Sjögren’s and other severe ocular surface diseases can damage the cornea (the eye’s clear dome-shaped covering) and cause vision loss.
PRBs contain regenerative factors found in blood-derived treatments known to promote eye healing. Certain platelet-rich blood treatments have been shown to reduce dry eye symptoms in people with Sjögren’s.
“These treatments, however, must be manufactured separately for each patient from a sample of their own blood — a process that can be cumbersome, inconsistent, and expensive,” Stellular said.
PRBs are standardized, off-the-shelf therapeutic products derived from megakaryocytes, large bone marrow cells that produce and release platelets into the bloodstream. These megakaryocytes are generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and grown in the lab.
iPSCs are generated from fully mature cells that are reprogrammed to a stem cell-like state, from which they can give rise to almost every type of human cell.
Data from a preclinical study led by Adams showed that PRBs reduced damage to the cornea better than a placebo in two mouse models of dry eye disease, supporting the company’s move into a proof-of-concept clinical trial in people with Sjögren’s-related dry eye.
The company did not disclose the amount of the financing round, which was led by Ziff Capital Partners and included Cockrell Interests and other investors. The funds will be used to advance clinical testing of STLR-201 in Sjögren’s-related dry eye, and Stellular expects to subsequently test the therapy in other ocular surface diseases.
“We believe [PRBs] will enable us to offer important new options for a large number of patients with multifaceted conditions like ocular surface disease, chronic wounds, osteoarthritis, and more,” Adams said.
