Immusol Biopharmaceuticals

Immusol was a San Diego-based biotechnology company that specialized in functional genomics and the development of ribozyme-based therapeutics. Founded by the pioneering virologist Flossie Wong-Staal, the company utilized its proprietary 'Inverse Genomics' platform to identify novel disease targets and develop treatments for viral diseases and oncology. The company's lead programs initially focused on gene therapy for HIV and cancer before transitioning toward small molecule inhibitors for Hepatitis C (HCV). In 2008, Immusol rebranded as iTherX Pharmaceuticals to focus on the clinical development of its lead HCV candidate, ITX-5061, which targeted the scavenger receptor B1 to prevent viral entry.