Research we fund

In June 2023, LLS made an equity investment in Rgenta Therapeutics to "Support development of RNA-targeting molecules for blood cancers." Rgenta Therapeutics is developing a pipeline of oral, small-molecule RNA-targeting medicines with an initial focus on oncology and neurological disorders. Rgenta has a proprietary platform to mine the massive genomics data to identify targetable RNA processing events and to design small-molecule glues to modulate the interactions among the spliceosome, regulatory proteins, and RNAs. Rgenta is working closely with LLS TAP to further develop RNA-targeting molecules by supporting preclinical studies with the goal of moving towards clinical development in hematological malignancies. 

Project Term: June 30, 2023 - TBD

In May 2023, LLS made an equity investment in Dimericon to "Support development of dimericons (crosslinked helix dimers) for blood cancers."  Dimericon is a private biotech company focused on exploring crosslinked helix dimers (Dimericons) as therapeutics and templates for small molecule development. Dimericon’s technology targets hard-to-drug intracellular protein-protein interactions using rationally designed mimetics of helix dimers. The Seed round of financing will support preclinical studies to further develop the current cFLIP inhibitor lead compound, DMRX1004, to be an IND ready clinical candidate in hematological malignancies.

Project Term: May 24, 2023 - TBD

In January 2023, LLS made an equity investment in BioInvent to "Support Clinical Development of BI-1206 for NHL Indications and BI-1808 for T-Cell Lymphoma Indications Including CTCL."BioInvent International AB is a clinical-stage biotech company that discovers and develops novel and first-in-class immuno-modulatory antibodies for cancer therapy, with currently four drug candidates in five ongoing clinical programs in Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of hematological cancer and solid tumors, respectively. The Company's validated, proprietary F.I.R.S.T™ technology platform identifies both targets and the antibodies that bind to them, generating many promising new drug candidates to fuel the Company's own clinical development pipeline and providing licensing and partnering opportunities.BI-1206 is a novel anti-FcyRIIB antibody currently being studied in two Phase 1/2 trials, in combination with rituximab in NHL (NCT03571568) and in combination with pembrolizumab in solid tumors (NCT04219254).

Project Term: January 17, 2023 - TBD

In January 2023, LLS made an equity investment in BioInvent to "Support Clinical Development of BI-1206 for NHL Indications and BI-1808 for T-Cell Lymphoma Indications Including CTCL." BioInvent International AB is a clinical-stage biotech company that discovers and develops novel and first-in-class immuno-modulatory antibodies for cancer therapy, with currently four drug candidates in five ongoing clinical programs in Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of hematological cancer and solid tumors, respectively. The Company's validated, proprietary F.I.R.S.T™ technology platform identifies both targets and the antibodies that bind to them, generating many promising new drug candidates to fuel the Company's own clinical development pipeline and providing licensing and partnering opportunities. BI-1808 is an anti-TNFR2 antibody being evaluated in a Phase 1/2a trial, as a single agent and in combination with the anti-PD-1 therapy Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) in patients with ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (NCT04752826).

Project Term: January 17, 2023 - TBD

In November 2022, LLS made an equity investment in Dren Bio to "Support Clinical Development of the DR-01 Program for Rare Leukemia & Lymphoma Indications Including Large Granular Lymphocyte Leukemia (LGLL) and Cytotoxic Lymphomas."Dren Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other serious diseases. Dren Bio’s pipeline encompasses two distinct programs, the first focusing on the engineering of antibodies with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) capabilities and the second revolving around its proprietary Targeted Myeloid Engager and Phagocytosis Platform.DR-01 is a novel antibody targeting CD94 which is known to be upregulated on LGLL cells. DR-01 functions through depletion of target cells via ADCC by means of fratricide, a method in which the same cell type induces ADCC on each other. A Phase 1/2 trial is ongoing to assess the safety and efficacy of DR-01 in previously treated LGLL patients and cytotoxic lymphomas (NCT05475925).DR-0201 is a first-in-class bispecific antibody capable of engaging tissue-resident and trafficking myeloid cells to induce deep B cell depletion via targeted phagocytosis. DR-0201 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 study in B-NHL patients (NCT06392477).

Project Term: November 21, 2022 - TBD

Our SCOR Program, composed of four complementary Projects supported by three shared Cores, is designed to determine how the immune niche and factors in its composition and regulation affect the initiation and progression of hematopoietic malignancies. Using genetically engineered mouse models, cell cultures and patient samples, the power of multi-omics analyses will be brought to bear to identify common drivers and expose underlying mechanisms. Findings from this work should reveal multiple candidate therapeutic targets whose exploitation may lead to the development of broadly applicable therapeutics for leukemias/lymphomas. Partnerships with pre-clinical and clinical trials experts at our home institutions and beyond will facilitate the translation of our findings to the bedside and potentially provide new hope to patients suffering from these devastating cancers.

Project Term: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2027

Outcomes for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia who relapse after transplantation are dismal. This SCOR brings together an international group of collaborators with deep expertise in genomics, epigenetics, antigen presentation, and immune-regulation. They will focus on mechanisms of immune evasion by leukemia cells, identifying effective T cell responses to those evasive processes, and providing critical insights into the optimal approaches to model new and promising targets for immunotherapy with a goal of eliminating leukemia recurrence. 

Project Term: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2027

The focus of my research is to elucidate the core molecular regulators of malignant stem cell generation in multiple myeloma. My approach addresses the tumor cell-intrinsic versus niche-dependent mechanisms of myeloma regeneration by exploring transcription factor expression and stemness profiles within single cells from primary samples and patient-derived models. The central goal of my research is to uncover novel therapeutic strategies and translate these into new myeloma treatments.

Project Term: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2027

The goal of the Clinical Trial Network of South Texas is to expand access to high quality clinical trials for under-represented minority (African American and Hispanic) patients with lymphoid cancers who receives care at the UT San Antonio Mays Cancer Center (MCC) and community oncology centers in South Texas. To achieve this goal, we will leverage the existing partnership between MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) and its robust clinical trial infrastructure to identify and deploy suitable clinical trials. We also will strengthen the research infrastructure at MCC and community sites, including providing equipment, clinical trial navigation support, and oversight to successfully deploy trials. By establishing MDACC/MCC as a hub for clinical trials, developing the necessary research infrastructure at community oncology centers, and allowing patients to participate in clinical trials at their local oncology centers, this IMPACT program has the potential to improve clinical outcomes.

Project Term: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2027

This project is the first to explore the origin of a newly discovered type of lymphoma called “BN2-DLBCL”. Mutations in a gene called “SPEN” are a defining feature of these tumors. Strikingly, SPEN mutations are more common in females and cause more deadly disease. Our proposal will reveal for the first time how these tumors originate from the immune system, how they are intimately linked to autoimmune disorders such as Lupus, why they occur preferentially in women, and how to cure them. 

Project Term: October 1, 2022 - September 1, 2025

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a blood disease with poor prognosis and frequent progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). There are currently no effective treatments. This proposal is based on a recent discovery by my group and proposes to investigate a protein called G⍺s (alpha subunit of the stimulatory G protein), as a novel therapeutic target for MDS. If successful, this work can lead to novel therapies that can transform the treatment of MDS, AML and possibly other cancers.

Project Term: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025

This proposal explores how inherited mutations in the DNA repair gene CHEK2 lead to blood cancers. Our work employs two unique resources: patient-derived cell lines and mice engineered with an inherited Chek2 variant that accurately models how bone marrow stem cells acquire DNA changes over time leading to bone marrow cancers. Our results may lead to new approaches that slow or prevent blood cancers in people with high risk.

Project Term: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025