eGenesis, Inc. and Eledon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that they have entered into a collaborative research agreement under which eGenesis will gain access to Eledon's anti-CD40L antibody candidate, tegoprubart, for eGenesis' ongoing preclinical research and development studies of human-compatible organs and cells for the treatment of organ failure. The collaboration has the potential to span multiple eGenesis programs including kidney, heart and islet cell transplant. Tegoprubart (formerly known as AT-1501) is an investigational, humanized IgG1 anti-CD40L antibody with high affinity for the CD40 ligand (CD40L, also called CD154).

CD40L is an attractive drug development target for transplant immunomodulation since the engagement of the CD40L plays a pivotal role in immune system activation by mediating both antibody and cellular immune responses. Eledon is conducting an international Phase 1b study evaluating tegoprubart for the prevention of rejection in transplant patients receiving a kidney allograft, and recently announced FDA clearance of an IND application to evaluate tegoprubart, in a larger phase 2 study, for the prevention of rejection in patients receiving a kidney allograft transplant.