Galecto Biotech
Galecto Biotech is a Swedish private biotechnology company that has developed a galectin-3 inhibitor that would prevent fibrosis.[1] The company, founded in 2011, is based in Lund.[2]
The galectin-3 inhibitor, TD139, has the potential to treat many diseases due to its involvement in many key biological pathways such as cell differentiation, cell growth, and apoptosis.[3] Galecto Biotech is using this inhibitor to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which is a progressive, irreversible and ultimately fatal lung disease that has poor prognosis and no effective therapies.[1][3][4] Transforming growth factor is a major mediator of fibrosis and galectin-3 expression is highly upregulated in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.[3] TD139 galectin-3 inhibitor, reduces the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signalling, ultimately showing a strong anti-fibrotic potential that may provide a novel treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.[3]
References
- ^ a b Garber, K (2013). "Galecto Biotech". Nature Biotechnology. 31 (6): 481. doi:10.1038/nbt0613-481. PMID 23752421.
- ^ "Company Overview of Galecto Biotech AB". Bloomberg. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
- ^ a b c d MacKinnon, A (2012). "Regulation of Transforming Growth Factor-β1–driven Lung Fibrosis by Galectin-3". American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 185 (5): 537–546. doi:10.1164/rccm.201106-0965oc. PMC 3410728. PMID 22095546.
- ^ Raghu, G (2011). "An official ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT statement: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and management". American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 183 (6): 788–824. doi:10.1164/rccm.2009-040gl. PMC 5450933. PMID 21471066.