The Opportunity
Significant Investment To Date Combined With Extensive Market Opportunities to Create Myeloid Disorder Franchise
Prior Investment
In early 2024, Taran acquired certain assets of Humanigen, a NASDAQ-listed company, including LENZ, which had already been developed in immunology, inflammation and oncology, as well as IFAB, being developed for solid tumors.
Those past investments provide an unusual opportunity for Taran as a new company with established assets in late-stage clinical trials: completed studies establish the safety and efficacy profile of LENZ and extensive CMC work has been completed.
A Phase 2/3 trial for LENZ being conducted in Australia in high-risk chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) patients is fully enrolled and promising data is emerging in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Prior studies have been completed in CMML, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, COVID and in hematology/oncology settings as a companion therapy to CAR-T.
Multiple conditions which are driven by the myeloid compartment (which includes monocytes and macrophages) may be targeted by LENZ, which may neutralize a key driver of inflammatory myeloid disorders.
Precision In Action
Taran is pursuing treatment and potential cures for myeloid diseases affecting many tens of thousands of patients as well as treatment for immunologically-driven conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. These conditions may also respond biologically to LENZ and affect tens of millions of people worldwide.
But Taran is also interested in tackling conditions for which there are no or inadequate treatment options for many sufferers, including those with relatively small patient numbers, such as JMML, a potentially lethal disease in children that is newly diagnosed in only about 100 children a year in the US.
In addition, while the number of patients with CMML, AML and MDS is now thought to be more substantial than previously, they would still be technically regarded as 'orphan' conditions and multiple country regulatory agencies offer financial, review and other incentives to products that treat orphan conditions.
Recent work published in the journal 'Nature Genetics' suggests there may be utility for LENZ in pediatric brain cancers and a partnership has been established with world-recognized researchers at leading global centers.
Taran recognizes that the essence of a precision-based approach in the rare disease compartment is to identify the plausible target foundation for a broader myeloid platform.
The environment for this approach comprises three key elements:
1. Genetically defined myeloid malignancies (CMML, MDS, AML, CML and several other cancerous conditions)
2. Spliceosome-driven disease biology involving disparate tissue-specific roles
3. Targeted cytokine modulation in a vast range of immune and autoimmune inflammatory conditions
The common denominator of these three elements is their applicability to a broad range of conditions.
As a result, the company is clear that it is an immunology and inflammation company with a focus on myeloid conditions.
If we can understand and define the biology, we can change the trajectory of these diseases.
This is the beginning of a new chapter—not just for us, but for the entire field of myeloid therapeutics.
We are not building a product company. We are building the company that will redefine treatment for patients across the immunology/inflammatory spectrum.
Our Partners
The University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, with the assistance of an Australian government grant, are pursuing the PREACH-M Phase 2/3 study for life-threatening Chronic MyeloMonocytic Leukemia (CMML). Encouraging data has also been generated in other myeloid disorders, including AML and MDS. Further conditions are being studied.
The Mayo Clinic is planning to study LENZ to potentially increase the safety and effectiveness of CAR-T cancer therapy, supported by positive Phase 1b results. Taran plans to contribute LENZ for the study, which is expected to involve 160 patients over four years, with the majority of funding contributed by Mayo and commercial payers.
The Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, a leading research center and world leader in design, construction and development of ADCs is partnering with Taran on its IFAB ADC program in solid tumors. Multiple ADCs have been constructed and tested in animal models, with the most promising now ready to enter a Phase 1 study in multiple types of cancer.
Get In Touch
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