ontegimod

Ontegimod (ONT01) is a first-in-class, orally bioavailable small molecule allosteric agonist of the integrin CD11b (also known as Mac-1 or Integrin alpha M). Developed by Adhaere Pharmaceuticals, it is designed to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, specifically lupus nephritis (LN) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as well as solid tumors. By activating CD11b, ontegimod promotes the adhesion of myeloid cells (such as neutrophils and monocytes) to the vascular endothelium, which prevents their infiltration into tissues like the kidney and reduces systemic inflammation. Mechanistically, CD11b activation suppresses pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, including NF-κB and IRF3/7, and reduces levels of biomarkers such as suPAR and CCL2. It has demonstrated a favorable safety profile in Phase 1 oncology trials and is currently being evaluated in Phase 1b studies for lupus nephritis.

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ontegimod