TSRL, Inc. Awarded $1.7 NIH Grant to Develop Synthetic High-Density Lipoproteins (sHDL) for Treatment of Infection Complications such as Sepsis

Ann Arbor, Michigan, September 5, 2021 – TSRL, Inc., announces its plans to develop a sHDL lead candidate for treatment of infection complications such as sepsis in collaboration with Anna Schwendeman, PhD, from University of Michigan. The company was awarded a Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institute of Health (NIH). TSRL and its collaborator, Dr. Anna Schwendeman, will receive an estimated $1.7M over the next two years to advance SPS-701 through preclinical development towards GLP toxicology testing.

Infection complications, culminating in sepsis have taken the United States by storm, costing 270,000 lives and upwards of $23.3 billion per year in the United States. It is estimated that 1 in 3 patient deaths in a hospital setting can be attributed to sepsis. Its rapid progression from a systemic inflammatory response (SIRS) to a bacterial infection that has manifested itself in the blood stream (bacteremia) to complete organ failure (septic shock), combined with a broad and diverse range of symptoms make early confirmation of sepsis hard to navigate.

TSRL’s collaborator, Dr. Schwendeman, has provided compelling evidence that the decline of HDL in septic patients is a predictor of patient outcomes, and that replacement of sHDL in preclinical models of sepsis is a promising rescue therapy. We will develop our optimized SPS-701 lead candidate for the treatment of infection complications such as sepsis. The product candidate is expected to restore endothelial hemostasis and reduce thrombosis in sepsis patients in danger of progressing to organ failure. Ideally, patients will only require a single IV infusion of SPS-701 to restore pre-sepsis HDL level.

“Research by my group at University of Michigan has shown that SPS-701 not only decreases the inflammatory effect of bacteria but also improves endothelial function, potentially preventing hypotension.” says Dr. Schwendeman. “My team has extensive experience in sHDL design, scale-up and manufacturing. We are very excited to partner with TSRL to advance SPS-701 towards an IND”.

“The therapeutic implications for SPS-701 are enormous, and have the potential to provide a new and safe treatment option for many conditions that lead to serious morbidity and mortality due to an overreaction of the immune system.” Added Dr. Lipka.

About TSRL, Inc.:

TSRL, Inc. is a preclinical biotech accelerator. We collaborate with partners in academia and industry to develop early-stage anti-infective therapeutics and drug delivery technologies. In these collaborations, we provide infrastructure, drug development expertise, and access to non-dilutive funding. Our portfolio holds promising lead-stage anti-infective therapeutics. We are actively looking for new technologies and strategic partnerships. More information about TSRL, Inc. and portfolio technologies are available at http://www.tsrlinc.com or can be requested by contacting Elke Lipka, CEO, elipka@tsrlinc.com