Allakos
Inc. is a privately held, product-focused biotechnology company developing first-in-class
antibody-based therapeutics to treat diseases in which dysregulation of the
T-helper type 2 (Th2) immune response plays a key role in pathology, including
allergic disease, inflammation and diseases characterized by excess production
of inflammatory cells. Allakos has generated a preclinical pipeline of novel
antibodies targeting cell types implicated in allergic and inflammatory
responses, which it intends to advance to clinical proof-of-concept.
Scientific rationale Excessive
production or activation of inflammatory cells has been implicated in the
pathology of multiple chronic and severe allergic diseases including asthma, food
allergy and other respiratory and gastrointestinal
disorders. Our therapeutic approach is based on selective targeting of the key
pathological cell types in such diseases using monoclonal antibodies.
Antibodies have been identified that target a
cell-surface molecule selectively present on certain key inflammatory cell
types. It is believed that targeting this receptor can play an important role
in modulating the allergic response.
Potential therapeutic advantages Antibody-based therapies provide
the opportunity for more selective targeting of pathways involved in allergic
responses than anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids. An antibody to
IgE (omalizumab) is an approved therapy in allergic asthma. The Allakos
cell-targeting antibodies provide potential for greater efficacy in broader
patient populations than approaches targeting IgE or soluble cytokines.
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Targeting of multiple inflammatory cell types aims to provide enhanced
efficacy.
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Unique mechanism-of-action provides differentiated product opportunities.
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Novel inhibitory activity provides opportunities in broad patient
populations.
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