A New York City-based biotech company is getting a boost in Buffalo as it explores the potential of its lead product – a toothpaste that helps peanut allergy sufferers.
Intrommune Therapeutics' toothpaste contains small amounts of allergens, helping patients build up a tolerance toward the goal of less severe reactions if they are exposed to peanuts.
The company has entered human trials with the support of Circuit Clinical – a startup in Buffalo that helps companies administer clinical trials – and has enrolled about eight patients toward its overall goal of 40.
If the toothpaste proves safe, a much larger clinical trial will be in the works. Buffalo is one of the regions where people can access the trial. Those interested can contact info@circuitclinical.com.
"Intrommune is proud to partner with Circuit Clinical to manage our Phase I study for the company’s premier product, peanut INT301," CEO Michael Nelson said. "INT301 is a food allergy treatment for peanut allergy delivered via a specially-formulated toothpaste designed to optimize exposure of allergenic proteins to a patient’s immune system while also cleaning their teeth."
The company recently presented on the Unicorn Hunters television show and is also raising money via a 506c offering, which invites members of the public to become shareholders (as long as they're accredited investors).
Kevin Christner, an investor in both companies and the former CFO of Circuit Clinical, is acting as an advisor for both firms as well. He is one of several Western New York investors in Intrommune.
"As a peanut allergy suffer myself, I understand the difficult many of those people go through," Christner said. "This is a chance for Circuit Clinical to partner with a company that could eventually help millions of people across the globe."
Circuit Clinical CEO Irfan Khan said the partnership is an example of the power of his firm's clinical network. Circuit Clinical seeks to give patients everywhere access to experimental therapies, instead of the typical process of holding them at large medical centers.
"This takes an early-stage company's work and says, 'Can we accelerate this through a single existing network?,' which has never been possible before," Khan said.
