Replay, a genome writing company reprogramming biology by writing and delivering big DNA, announced the launch of Telaria, a HSV gene therapy company targeting rare skin diseases. It is the second of Replay’s product companies to leverage its high payload capacity herpes simplex virus (HSV) delivery vector, synHSV™. Telaria’s co-founders are leading HSV scientists, entrepreneurs, and specialists in genetic skin diseases.
In addition to Professor Joe Glorioso, Telaria’s co-founders include John McGrath, a leading expert in genetic skin diseases, and Alexander Silver, Co-Founder & Chairman Emeritus of the Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Partnership. Jakub Tolar, distinguished McKnight Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy at the University of Minnesota Medical School, is the Senior Advisor to the Company.
Telaria is the second of Replay’s four synHSV™ gene therapy product companies and its launch follows that of Eudora, a company targeting genetic diseases of the retina. Replay’s distinctive corporate structure separates technology development from product development within disease therapeutic area-focused product companies.
The lead indication in Telaria’s pipeline is recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a genetic skin disease that causes the skin to be fragile and blister easily. RDEB is generally more severe than its dominant counterpart and involves widespread blistering that may lead to scarring, severe pain, and disfigurement. It can affect multiple internal organs and causes serious medical issues that may include chronic inflammation and squamous cell carcinoma.
There is currently no cure for the approximately 50,000 RDEB patients world-wide, and palliative wound care is the current standard of care. A disease-modifying gene therapy with the ability to heal wounds more rapidly or prevent their formation would represent a significant benefit to patients.
Replay’s synHSV™ technology is a high payload capacity gene-deleted HSV-1 vector capable of delivering up to eight times the payload of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. This enables the delivery of genes that are too big to fit into AAV and facilitates polygenic gene therapy. Replay is, additionally, developing an HSV vector capable of delivering up to 30 times the AAV payload.
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