Comanche is a biopharmaceutical company developing a novel siRNA therapy for the treatment of preeclampsia. Our purpose is to lower the risks of pregnancy and prematurity worldwide by safely sustaining natural pregnancy. We envision a world where all pregnant women have access to safe and effective therapies that are evidence-based, cost-effective and sustainable.
What is Preeclampsia?
A global tragedy. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized clinically by high maternal blood pressure and signs of damage to other organ systems, most often the liver and kidneys. Every year the disease afflicts 10M patients worldwide and accounts for nearly 80,000 maternal and over 500,000 fetal deaths. The numbers are growing in both developed and developing countries. Any pregnant mother is at risk of developing the disease, but it disproportionately affects women who are the youngest, the oldest, and the poorest.
A high priority unmet need in an underserved population.
A daunting challenge. After more than 30 years of research, there exists no definitive treatment for preeclampsia other than preterm delivery of the baby. Surviving mothers and babies face severe acute medical problems and continue to face long-term disability. These grave outcomes are often more severe in low- and middle-income areas of the world where healthcare resources can be scarce and access to care delayed.
Our Science
A new approach to treating sFlt1 mediated hypertension disorders of pregnancy. Our founding scientists have created siRNA molecules capable of specifically and durably silencing the sFlt1 gene in the placenta thereby downregulating production of the protein responsible for preeclampsia. Our approach to this deadly disease unifies three remarkable scientific achievements:
Biology breakthrough
We’ve unlocked the mechanistic basis and an unambiguous point of leverage for modifying preeclampsia. sFlt1 is now recognized as an unambiguous cause of preeclampsia. This protein, produced by the placenta and measurable in the plasma of pregnant women, is both diagnostic and prognostic for preeclampsia. When produced in excess, sFlt1 is causally responsible for the disease manifestations. Comanche believes that the abrupt rise in sFlt1 protein levels is modifiable and that by reducing its production in the placenta, the disease will be safely ameliorated. Until now, the safe and effective targeting of sFlt1 with traditional pharmaceutical approaches has faced many scientific hurdles.
Three decades of oligonucleotide chemistry
Gene silencing using siRNA molecules has matured into a groundbreaking new drug platform with numerous approvals by regulatory agencies around the world for indications ranging from orphan disease to population health. To accomplish this innovation, the siRNA molecules required modifications so that they can function as potent, durable, and safe pharmaceutical agents. Our chemists have created conjugated siRNA molecules that accumulate in the placenta where they selectively silence the mRNA isoforms responsible for excess sFlt1 causing preeclampsia.
Groundbreaking technology
We harness Nobel Prize winning science and deliver technology with unique capabilities for modifying this disease. Small snippets of RNA, which typically serve as the blueprint for manufacturing proteins, can also be used by cells to silence or modulate the expression of target genes. This biological phenomenon, for which the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded in 2006, has revolutionized scientific inquiry into gene function and enabled the precise targeting of mRNA sequences specific to the disease-causing protein’s production. Our scientists used this approach to silence the specific mRNA isoforms responsible for sFlt1 production in preeclamptic women.
About
Comanche Biopharma was founded by an experienced group of physicians, researchers, biologists, chemists, ethicists, and pharmaceutical professionals determined to tackle the problem of preeclampsia. They recognize the challenge of drug development for mothers and babies but are committed to the women and their families who have been disproportionately underserved by the drug industry for decades. Comanche believes every mother has the right to choose evidence-based therapies that have been appropriately studied to determine their risk:benefit and solve life-threatening conditions of pregnancy.
The company is named in honor and appreciation of the innovations achieved by the Numunuu people which allowed them to become a global power on the North American continent for over two hundred years. In particular, these American Indians controlled an empire encompassing much of the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico (referred to as Comancheria, hence the name Comanche). Their adoption of the horse as a disruptive technology along with innovations in animal husbandry, training and utilization reshaped worldwide politics, economics, markets, and cultures. We are inspired by this example of purposeful innovation and recognize that new technologies alone are not enough to affect meaningful change. Our goal is to design development and commercialization processes that create affordable solutions that solve real needs and in the process deliver meaningful value to society that is measurable. Comanche Biopharma is committed to the ethical representation of all people of color and economic status in our clinical development programs. We prioritize ensuring access to our solutions by those who need them most.
Meet our Team