CIT Therapeutics Partners with IFLI to Advance Cancer Therapies

CIT and IFLI Partnered to Advance Cancer Therapies

Announcement

CIT Therapeutics Inc., a leading biotechnology company primarily aimed at accelerating next-generation small molecule therapeutics focusing on sumoylation for cancer treatment, has entered a partnership deal with the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI). Under this deal, IFLI will invest $2.5 million to contribute to CIT’s clinical development efforts, mainly in follicular lymphoma. The CIT is uplifting its best-in-class, orally bioaccessible small molecule that inhibits the SUMO E1 enzyme selectively via an allosteric covalent mechanism. This specific approach has elaborated increased peculiarity in proteome-wide analyses, providing a trustworthy therapeutic strategy to eliminate cancer cells and fuel the immune system.

The IFLI’s investment in CIT will help CIT in its upcoming phase 1/1b clinical trial of its leading candidate, SB-4826, in non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, involving those with refractory or relapsed follicular lymphoma. This collaboration reflects IFLI’s commitment to leveraging the development of transitional therapies for blood-related cancers and follicular lymphoma. It also spotlights CIT’s innovative platform as a capable table-turning advancement in the oncology landscape. CIT specializes in identifying mechanisms and medical needs in autoimmune and cancer disorders, whereas IFLI supports leveraging development to innovative treatment alternatives for follicular lymphoma patients will put this partnership on the right track, bringing new advancements into the vast healthcare market. This partnership will empower companies to partner with the institutional hub.

Views and Statements from the Company Leaders

Managing director of IFLI, Dave McCullagh, said, “We are excited to partner with CIT in their mission to improve patient outcomes with follicular lymphoma.”

MD, Chief Medical Officer of IFLI, Michel Azoulay, said, “This collaboration demonstrates a prominent step towards introducing SUMOylation-focused therapies to the clinic. We are grateful to be able to contribute to the CIT in leading this new therapeutic modality. By inhibiting sumoylation, the tumor microenvironments can be reprogrammed, and sensitize tumors to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, also suppressing oncogenic signaling.”

Phd, founder and CEO of CIT Therapeutics and professor and chief in the division of surgical sciences and professor in the division of surgical oncology in the department of surgery at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Moores Cancer Center, Yuan Chen, said, “The vision of the company is to transition cancer care by advancing therapies that focuses on novel biological mechanism, aligning with that of IFLI. We are enthusiastic for this partnership and eager to begin with our clinical trial to serve essential benefits to patients.”