About Oryn Therapeutics

Our Mission

Oryn Therapeutics was founded to utilize the novel structural and functional properties of theta-defensins as a template to design Orynotides^TM, new therapeutic drug candidates to treat complex, difficult-to-treat diseases.

Scientists from Oryn Therapeutics discovered small cyclic peptides (called theta defensins) produced by Old World monkeys, but not humans.

Humans and monkeys all have the genes and produce the mRNA, but stop codons block biosynthesis of the peptide in humans. This discovery of theta-defensins, the only known cyclic peptides naturally occurring in the animal kingdom, altered the scientific world view of the composition and function of the mammalian innate immune system.

Theta-defensins function in the natural host to protect against life-threatening infections, sepsis, and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, theta-defensins have favorable drug-like properties lacking in most other known peptides. They are exceedingly stable (because of their circular structure) and have low toxicity and low immunogenicity, features that collectively make the theta-defensin macrocyclic peptide an ideal structural template for drug design.

Orynotides^TM

What are Orynotides^TM? A new class of therapeutic drug candidates based on naturally occurring theta defensins to treat diseases of immune system dysregulation. Orynotides, a novel clinical-stage peptide class, are immunomodulators without immunocompromising properties, allowing broad applicability across many indications.

Bioinspired analogs of theta-defensins
Remarkably stable
Readily produced at scale by chemical synthesis
Low immunogenicity and low toxicity
Circular peptide structure is an ideal template for drug design

Orynotides have a range of properties that make them ideal for therapeutic applications.

ABOUT THE THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS

Modulation of Dysregulated Host Immune System Functions

Down-regulate pathologic inflammation—applicable to autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases such as RA and IBD
Substantially augment efficacy of cancer immunotherapies—applicable to many types of cancer
Augment natural host pathogen defense—applicable to drug resistant bacterial infections, systemic fungal infections, and certain viral diseases
Orynotides modulate inflammatory pathways in a “dialed volume control” manner, as opposed to functioning as an “on-off binary switch”