Funding for research into drug against systemic sclerosis Radboudumc Holding one of several investors in startup Philikos

With T-Guard Nijmegen startup Philikos developed a drug that may work against systemic sclerosis. In a short time, the company has raised enough funding to test the drug in patients.

Nijmegen startup Philikos developed with T-Guard a potential drug against systemic sclerosis. Systemic sclerosis (also known as scleroderma) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system turns against one's own body. In systemic sclerosis, it is mainly “overactive” T cells and NK (natural killer) cells that cause chronic inflammation in connective tissue. This leads to hardening of the skin and damage to many other organs.

Good alternative

For the most severe forms of systemic sclerosis, an autologous stem cell transplant is currently the only available treatment. However, such a transplant is risky and not every patient is eligible. Philikos' drug T-Guard, previously developed as a drug for graft-versus-host disease, may be a good and less invasive alternative. The drug is designed to attack and clear out exactly these “overactive” T and NK cells. This possibly could be a cure for the disease.

Radboudumc researcher investigates effects of T-Guard drug on patient tissues

Several parties on board

Whether the drug actually cures patient must be proven in human research. To make this possible, a lot of money is needed. To that end, Philikos has recently brought several parties on board. For example, Radboudumc Holding acquired Philikos shares and the company received research grants from Health Holland and Biotech Booster. In addition, Oost NL and Essential Investments provided a convertible loan.

Research in patients

“With this we can start the TASER project,” says Ypke van Oosterhout, general manager of Philikos. TASER stands for T-Guard against Autoreactive T cells in Systemic sclerosis: Erasion and Resolution. It will take place at the Rheumatology Department at Radboudumc where, under the direction of rheumatologist Madelon Vonk, four patients with systemic sclerosis are being treated with the drug T-Guard. “Possibly T-Guard offers an answer to the great unmet medical need, to the lack of an acceptable, adequate treatment for patients with progressive forms of systemic sclerosis”, Vonk says.

“Depending on the initial results, we may further expand the study to twelve patients,” adds Van Oosterhout. The study is scheduled to start in the first half of 2025 after approval from the METC.

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