Our Pioneering, Proprietary Multivalent Peptide Mimetics™ Platform
How Does It Work?
MVPM™ modulates the immune system "up" or "down" to fight disease and enhance antibody efficacy.
What’s the Science Behind It?
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MVPM™ mimics carbohydrate ligands, binding to specific receptors on the surface of the cell that “turn on” activating receptors or “turn off” inhibitory receptors on key immune cells.
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Highly specific to targeted receptors, MVPM™ enhances signaling among immune cells for enhanced therapeutic effect.
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These peptides inhibit the growth of cancer cells, stem inflammation from diseases like eczema, and activate infectious disease-fighting cells and processes like phagocytosis.
Why This Approach?
Peptide drugs can be designed to selectively activate the immune system to safely respond to the threat of the disease without triggering immunotoxicity.
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Susavion offers significant expertise in molecular biology and design of immunostimulatory peptides targeting a variety of receptors.
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Enables design of receptor-active peptides with four important attributes:
>> High specificity
>> High avidity
>> Receptor cross-linking
>> Immunologic cross-talk -
High development potential in oncology, HIV, and other infectious diseases:
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Demonstrated preclinical POC with lead peptides (svL4 and sv6D) in murine models of difficult-to-treat glioblastoma and ovarian cancer.
Cancer
Overview
MVPM™ compounds enhance standard ovarian cancer drugs and offer superior efficacy with radiation in glioblastoma.
The Challenge
Ovarian cancer and glioblastomas remain among the most challenging cancers to treat. Treatment options are toxic and limited in efficacy.
The Susavion Solution.
We design synthetic peptide drugs to:
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Selectively activate the immune system to safely respond to disease without triggering immunotoxicity
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Mimic carbohydrates and bind to specific receptors on the cell surface to trigger an anti-tumor response
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Naturally revert to amino acid states and leave the body’s systems
Proof of Concept Examples—Cancer
Susavion has a robust pipeline of safe, effective, life-saving preclinical drug candidates for immunotherapy, including a series of treatment peptides: sv6D, svL4, svH1C, svH1D, and sv6B.
Cancer
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svL4 has already been shown to significantly extend the life of mice when administered in conjunction with low doses of radiation in a glioblastoma brain tumor.
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sv6D is effective both as a monotherapy and as a complement to other therapies. (This is especially important since ovarian cancer tumors eventually become refractory or unresponsive to traditional treatments.)
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The peptides have also demonstrated efficacy in treating melanoma, multiple myeloma, breast, and renal cancer.
Infectious Disease
Overview
MVPM™ activates the natural process of phagocytosis to eliminate viruses.
The Challenge
There is a lack of robust therapeutics to combat viral diseases, particularly as an adjunct therapy to existing vaccines.
The Susavion Solution
Our MVPM™ platform can increase the potency of antiviral vaccines and strongly enhance the body’s natural immunological defense. For viruses like HIV and others, MVPM™ stimulates antibody-mediated phagocytosis by macrophages to eliminate viruses and thereby halt viral infections.
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This approach may be applicable to any viral infection, including SARS-CoV-2.
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Older patients or others with weakened immune systems may benefit disproportionately.
Proof of Concept Examples—Infectious Disease
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HIV-1 replication is inhibited by svH1C in combination with non-neutralizing, HIV-positive serum.
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Viral infection by HIV of PBMCs (mostly T cells), cultured with svH1C and sera from patients, was completely inhibited.
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This approach is applicable to any viral infection.
Eczema
Overview
Studies show topical MVPM™ has a complete anti-inflammatory response in eczema with no toxicity.
The Challenge
Eczema is a widespread health challenge. Treatments usually involve topical steroids for short periods of time, with mixed efficacy, or injected monoclonal antibodies.
The Susavion Solution
Advantages of MVPM™ for Dermatology Include:
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Topical non-toxic with high efficacy and no infusions, injections, or steroids (good for pediatrics)
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Straightforward small molecule chemical synthesis, standard supply sources, uncomplicated distribution, and no cold-chain requirements
Proof of Concept Examples—Eczema
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In treatments of mice affected by skin irritation (eczema), Susavion’s svL4 resolved the irritation and inflammation, to where the skin appears normal, with epidermal thickness comparable to that in untreated skin within a few days.