Lassogen is developing a therapeutic modality based on lasso peptides, which it is programming to treat difficult diseases such as cancer and autoimmune conditions.
Lassogen researchers engineer lasso peptides targeting integrins and report scalable production. The peptides show preclinical activity in checkpoint-inhibitor-resistant tumor models.
University of Illinois researchers collaborate with Lassogen to engineer cyclases that produce new lasso peptides, while AI tools help reveal the enzymes’ mechanisms. The work demonstrates a route to expanding therapeutic candidates.
University of Illinois researchers partnered with Lassogen to engineer lasso-peptide cyclases and produce a potent inhibitor of a cancer-promoting integrin. Their discovery explains how enzymes tie knots in lasso peptides, connecting that process to the engineered cyclases and inhibitor production.
Sep 2024 · Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic BiologyNews article
Lassogen raises $4.5 million in seed financing and collaborates on lasso-peptide therapeutics, according to the University of Illinois. The company plans to develop therapeutic programs for cancer and autoimmune disease, building on academic discovery and peptide-engineering research.
Nov 2020 · University of Illinois Cancer CenterNews article
