Abcuro is advancing a potential first-in-class antibody, ulviprubart, in autoimmune diseases where highly cytotoxic T cells play a critical role.
Ulviprubart is an investigational product being evaluated for the potential treatment of various autoimmune diseases. Ulviprubart is an afucosylated humanized immunoglobulin (Ig)G subclass 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody specific for the killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1) developed to deplete T cells expressing KLRG1.
Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM)
Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most prevalent myopathy in adults older than age fifty, with over 50,000 patients estimated in the United States and Europe. This debilitating disease is characterized by progressive weakness and atrophy of muscles of the arms and the legs, as well as muscles involved in swallowing. IBM is chronically progressive and results in severe disability and premature death.
IBM is an autoimmune condition in which highly cytotoxic T cells attack muscle which leads to degeneration of the tissue. Muscle tissue from patients with IBM shows the presence of highly differentiated, KLRG1+ cytotoxic T cells destroying muscle fibers (see figure below).
There are currently no available therapeutic options for IBM. Non-specific immunosuppressants or corticosteroids have not demonstrated efficacy in IBM and thus, are not widely used.
