CITRYLL DEMONSTRATES A BROADER THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL FOR CIT-013 IN THE TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATORY DISORDERS
- Breakthrough study published in Frontiers in Immunology demonstrates CIT-013’s effectiveness against additional types of extracellular traps, expanding potential therapeutic applications
Oss, Netherlands – 20 February 2025 – Citryll, a biotech company pioneering a transformative approach to treating immune-mediated inflammatory diseases by targeting Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs), today announces the publication of new research in Frontiers in Immunology. The study demonstrates that CIT-013, originally developed to target NETs, also effectively inhibits the formation of eosinophil extracellular traps (EETs) with the same potency and verifies the presence of CIT-013’s epitope on EETs. These findings further validate Citryll’s approach and highlight the broader therapeutic potential of CIT-013 beyond inflammatory diseases that are neutrophilic in nature.
CIT-013, Citryll’s first-in-class monoclonal antibody, has previously demonstrated its ability to inhibit NET formation in Phase 1 clinical trials. Extracellular traps (ETs) are web-like structures composed of DNA, histones, and antimicrobial proteins, released by cells to trap and degrade pathogens. Excessive ET formation can contribute to tissue damage and chronic inflammation in various immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. Citryll is currently investigating CIT-013 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).
This latest preclinical study highlights CIT-013’s ability to inhibit EET formation. The presence of CIT-013’s epitope on EETs will also enable binding of CIT-013 to enhance phagocytic clearance of tissue EETs, as previously established for NETs. Importantly, the study demonstrated that CIT-013’s dual mechanism of action – enhancing the clearance of existing extracellular traps and preventing the formation of new ones – applies equally to eosinophils, another type of white blood cell, reinforcing its potential as a therapy capable of targeting extracellular traps regardless of their cellular origin.
The release and accumulation of EETs in inflamed tissue have been observed in multiple inflammatory diseases. These findings reinforce CIT-013’s potential to treat a broad range of ET-driven inflammatory conditions, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, where multiple cell types contribute to inflammation.
Co-author of the publication, Professor Shigeharu Ueki, from Akita University, Japan, said: “The discovery that CIT-013 effectively targets both NETs and EETs represents a significant advancement in the therapeutic approach to diseases with an extracellular trap pathogenesis. This could be particularly valuable in treating conditions where both neutrophil and eosinophil-mediated inflammation play important roles, and I look forward to seeing where this discovery takes us.”
Eric Meldrum, Chief Scientific Officer at Citryll, said: “These findings strengthen the scientific foundation of Citryll’s approach and confirm the potential of CIT-013 beyond NET driven pathologies. By demonstrating its efficacy against EETs, we are unlocking new possibilities to treat a broader range of diseases beyond RA and HS where extracellular traps drive chronic inflammation, marking an important step in validating our broader pipeline strategy.”
These results follow Citryll’s recent €85 million Series B funding round, which supports the advancement of CIT-013 into Phase 2a clinical trials for RA and HS. These trials will further establish CIT-013’s unique dual mode of action, enhancing the clearance of existing NETs while preventing the formation of new ones. CIT-013 is highly selective for its epitope, minimising off-target effects, and does not enter cells, preserving normal intracellular functions.
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About Citryll
Citryll is pioneering a transformative approach to treating inflammatory diseases by targeting Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs), a fundamental component of the inflammatory process that has yet to be addressed therapeutically.
Citryll is developing the first NET-targeting therapy, and potentially creating a new class of therapeutics with broad applications across immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
Our lead asset, CIT-013, is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody with a unique dual mechanism of action: it enhances the clearance of existing NETs and inhibits the formation of new NETs.
By addressing this key driver of inflammation, CIT-013 has the potential to offer a differentiated and comprehensive treatment option for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and hidradenitis suppurativa, where current therapies often fall short of providing adequate disease control.
Contacts
Citryll
Sjoerd van Gorp, COO / CFO
Email: info@citryll.com
Citryll Media Contacts
ICR Healthcare
Amber Fennell, Stephanie Cuthbert, Lucy Featherstone
Email: citryll@icrinc.com
