Resolve Therapeutics, LLC, a privately held biotechnology company based in Seattle that is dedicated to helping patients with lupus through the development of its platform of targeted nuclease therapeutics, has initiated clinical studies with its lead compound RSLV-132.

Resolve administered the first doses to humans of RSLV-132 its first-in-class targeted nuclease therapy designed to decrease the burden of circulating RNA-containing immune complexes in SLE patients. Ongoing studies are designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and biological activity of RSLV-132. A single escalating dose study in healthy volunteers began earlier this month, with a multi-dose study in SLE patients planned to begin in the second quarter of 2014.

RSLV-132 is a novel Fc fusion protein consisting of human RNase attached to the Fc portion of human IgG. The goal of the therapy is to reduce the burden of circulating RNA-containing immune complexes which are thought to be the most proximal trigger of the systemic inflammation characteristic of SLE. By eliminating the RNA cargo contained in circulating immune complexes the therapy is designed to prevent chronic activation of nucleic acid sensing toll like receptors (e.g TLR7 and TLR8) and subsequent activation of the interferon inflammatory cascade. Additional therapeutic benefit is thought to result from dampening B-cell activation, as well as mitigation of the direct tissue damage caused by immune complex deposition in key organs, such as the kidney and brain.

“We are thrilled to begin the clinical testing of RSLV-132, bringing this potentially important new approach for treating lupus one step closer to the large number of SL patients that are not well controlled with current therapy” commented James Posada, chief executive officer of Resolve Therapeutics.