NEW YORK, March 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrommune Therapeutics, a New York-based, clinical stage biotechnology company developing a patient-friendly treatment platform for peanut and other food allergies, announced the addition of Alain Van Loo to serve as its Chief Operating Officer.
“The addition of Alain to our management team has infused a high level of energy and provided strategic direction during this critical growth period,” said Michael Nelson, CEO, Intrommune Therapeutics. “Alain delivers a unique combination of functional knowledge, financial expertise and business acumen that strategically complements our current high performing senior management team.”
Intrommune recently received FDA acceptance of its investigational new drug (IND) application and has rapidly moved INT301 into Phase 1 clinical trials. INT301 is being developed for the treatment of peanut allergies. INT301’s unique formulation is designed to desensitize an individual with peanut allergy using a toothpaste delivery system, protecting them in the event of accidental peanut exposure.
“I am very excited to support Intrommune – especially during this phase of rapid growth and development,” said Alain Van Loo, Chief Operating Officer, Intrommune Therapeutics. “In close collaboration with our CEO and board of directors, my focus will be to ensure that Intrommune’s structure is optimized for growth – with the goal of bringing INT301 to market.” In concert with our clinical science teams, Mr. Van Loo will lead the development and implementation of strategic plans across finance, operations and marketing.
Mr. Van Loo joins Intrommune with deep experience in finance, investment, operations and business management. Alain most recently served as Chief Investment Officer at The Sharp Financial Group. In this role he was responsible for managing $200 million in total assets within a quantitative and tactical model approach across the entire wealth platform. At Sharp, Van Loo worked extensively with family offices and high net worth investors and explored alternative investment sources. Van Loo also served in positions of increasing responsibility at Blenheim Capital Management and Deutsche Bank Securities.
“Contributing to this talented team of scientific and clinical experts is extremely fulfilling,” added Van Loo. “The elegance and simplicity of our OMIT toothpaste technology and its application to our first food allergy, peanuts, is very exciting. Being part of a potential solution to an issue that affects millions of children and adults gives me the motivation to do everything to ensure that this product has the possibility to come to market.”
More than 6 million people, including an estimated 1.6 million children, have peanut allergy in the U.S. If approved, INT301 has the potential to be the first oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT™) allergy treatment that easily integrates into a person’s daily routine as both first-line and long-term maintenance therapy for peanut allergy.
The OMIT platform is expected to improve allergy immunotherapy by increasing the precision of treatment delivery and promoting treatment adherence. OMIT delivers immunotherapy to the oral mucosa, which has the highest likelihood of initiating allergy desensitization. Targeted delivery of medication is expected to decrease the rate of side effects linked to swallowing food allergy proteins, including eosinophilic esophagitis, gastrointestinal discomfort and potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis that requires the use of emergency epinephrine.
About Peanut and Other Food Allergies
Food allergies affect more than 220 million people, including approximately 32 million people in the U.S. Management of food allergies currently focuses on avoidance of exposure to triggering foods, though often such foods, including peanuts, are common ingredients in food products and therefore difficult to avoid. Many people with peanut allergy are accidentally exposed and experience potentially life-threatening reactions, including anaphylaxis, each year. Unfortunately, food allergy remains an area of tremendous unmet medical need.
About Oral Mucosal Immunotherapy™
Oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT) uses a specially formulated toothpaste to stabilize and deliver allergenic proteins to immunologically active areas of the oral cavity with the greatest potential for allergy desensitization. Success with allergy immunotherapy hinges on consistent exposure of a patient’s immune system to gradually “desensitize” the patient to the specific allergy trigger over time. OMIT promises advantages over other approaches to allergy immunotherapy due to its targeted delivery, simplified administration, and support of reliable, long-term adherence.
About Intrommune Therapeutics
Intrommune, dedicated to improving and protecting the lives of people with food allergy, is developing the revolutionary oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT) treatment platform for food allergies. OMIT is a long-term, patient-friendly, disease-modifying solution for the greater than 220 million people, including 32 million people in the U.S., who suffer from life-altering food allergies. Intrommune’s lead product, INT301, has entered phase 1 clinical trials and is expected to be a safe, effective and convenient therapy for patients who suffer from peanut allergy.
For more information on Intrommune Therapeutics, please visit http://www.intrommune.com
Contact:
John F. Kouten
JFK Communications, Inc.
609-241-7352
jfkouten@jfkhealth.com
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