PEEL Therapeutics Initiates Clinical Trial of PEEL-224 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

August 10, 2022 – SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Peel Therapeutics, an evolutionary-inspired, clinical-stage biotech company developing medicines for cancer and inflammatory diseases has initiated a first-in-human clinical study of PEEL-224 in patients with advanced solid tumors. This follows recent acceptance of the company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) Application by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PEEL-224 was developed from a medicine that originates from the leaves and stem of an ancient tree used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine.

The company is evaluating PEEL-224, a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor, in a Phase 1 dose escalation, repeat-dose, multi-center, open-label study in patients with advanced solid tumors. The trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary antitumor activity of PEEL-224.

“Building on millions of years of evolution, Peel Therapeutics’ scientists and collaborators have modified this plant compound to overcome chemotherapy cancer resistance,” said Joshua Schiffman, M.D., CEO and Co-Founder of Peel Therapeutics. “We are very encouraged by the preclinical data seen in multiple solid tumor types. Our company looks forward to further evaluation of PEEL-224 in patients, bringing us closer to our goal of delivering safer and more effective cancer therapy.”

Peel Therapeutics’ first clinical study comes on the heels of closing an $18M convertible note financing last year. The company has raised $30M overall since its start in oversubscribed note rounds and small business grants.

“At Peel Therapeutics, evolution is our platform and patients are our purpose. Our Peel scientists unlock evolutionary biology to treat cancer and inflammation,” continued Dr. Schiffman. “With our additional programs also quickly advancing towards the clinic, we are optimistic about our progress.  We are pleased to forge ahead with the support of our investors to introduce safer and more effective medicines for patients.”

About PEEL-224

PEEL-224 is a small molecule nanoparticle for the treatment of cancer. The active molecule of PEEL-224 derives from camptothecin, a naturally occurring compound found in the Chinese Happy Tree (Camptotheca acuminata) thought to have evolved as a plant defense mechanism. Camptothecin and its derivatives inhibit topoisomerase 1 DNA repair, effectively killing dividing cells with mutations. By engineering the natural molecule and conjugating it with a synthetic polymer, Peel Therapeutics has designed PEEL-224 to improve efficacy while limiting toxicity.

About Peel Therapeutics

Peel Therapeutics is an evolutionary-inspired biotech company that intersects nature, curiosity, and leading-edge science to develop medicines for cancer and inflammation. Our team searches for nature’s superabilities where evolutionary biology has accomplished the inconceivable in preventing or defeating disease. We then apply multidisciplinary scientific and medical expertise, state-of-the-art technology and our drug development knowledge to rapidly translate this evolutionary biology into medicines. The company is advancing a therapeutic pipeline to treat a spectrum of devastating conditions, with a near-term focus on cancer and inflammation. At Peel Therapeutics, we push the limits of biology to develop highly effective and safe medicines for patients that transcend the incremental. Peel Therapeutics is located in Salt Lake City, Utah and Haifa, Israel – and is a member of BioHive, the Utah life sciences industry collective. For more information, please visit www.peeltx.com or find the company on LinkedIn or Twitter.