aTyr Pharma Launches Study with Stanford Medicine

aTyr Pharma, Inc., a biotechnology firm focused on developing unique medicines from its proprietary tRNA synthetase platform, has entered into a research partnership with Stanford Medicine. The collaboration will explore the potential of aTyr’s anti-neuropilin-2 (NRP2) antibodies in treating glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer. Michael Lim, M.D., Chair of Neurosurgery at Stanford Medicine, will lead the study.

Dr. Lim’s work revolves around understanding the immunosuppressive mechanisms in GBM. He noted that the immune system is crucial in GBM recurrence and highlighted the potential of stimulating myeloid cells to reverse immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment. The research will investigate how anti-NRP2 antibodies, when combined with chemotherapy, might combat immune evasion in GBM. Should initial studies prove promising, further evaluations will be conducted combining NRP2 antibodies with other immunomodulating agents, like anti-PD-1, STING, or anti-CSF-1R, to tackle various aspects of myeloid and T cell immunosuppression for GBM treatment.

Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S., President and CEO of aTyr, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with Stanford Medicine and Dr. Lim. He emphasized their commitment to advancing tRNA synthetase-derived therapies and recognized NRP2's potential in immune interaction across several cancers, including GBM. This study aims to deepen understanding of NRP2's role in immune suppression in this aggressive cancer, where there is a significant need for new treatments.

GBM is characterized by rapid growth and aggressive invasion into nearby brain tissue, typically not spreading to other organs. The standard treatment involves surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy, which can extend survival but is not curative, and recurrence rates remain high. Research into the underlying mechanisms of recurrence is crucial to developing new treatments that can effectively manage and reduce recurrence rates.

aTyr Pharma leverages evolutionary insights to convert tRNA synthetase biology into innovative therapies for fibrosis and inflammation. tRNA synthetases are ancient, indispensable proteins that have evolved to control various pathways in humans. aTyr’s discovery platform aims to uncover hidden therapeutic opportunities by identifying signaling pathways triggered by its proprietary library of domains derived from all 20 tRNA synthetases. The company's leading therapeutic candidate, efzofitimod, is a pioneering biologic immunomodulator in clinical development for treating interstitial lung disease, a group of immune-mediated disorders that cause lung inflammation and progressive fibrosis.

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