Silo Pharma, a development-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the use of traditional and psychedelics as a therapeutic, today announced that it has expanded its Commercial Evaluation License Agreement (CELA) with the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) for its next generation Liposomal Peptide targeting autoimmune diseases.

Eric Weisblum, CEO of Silo Pharma, said: “We are delighted to expand our partnership with UMB.  Pre-clinical testing of these peptides has shown positive results in animal studies. The three-phage peptides we identified specifically target inflamed vascular endothelium of arthritic joints in an adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model.  To test the therapeutic effect of the peptides, arthritic Lewis rats (n=4/group) were injected intravenously with one of the peptides or PBS either at the onset or just following the onset of arthritis.

“The rats were monitored regularly for disease severity and were assigned an “arthritic score.” The results show treatment of arthritic Lewis rats with two of the three phage-encoded peptides (NQR and RGD) suppresses adjuvant arthritis, with RGD producing the most robust effect.

“Therefore, phage peptides ADK homes to the synovial vasculature of the inflamed joint, while phage peptides NQR and RGD both home to this area of the inflamed joint and have a therapeutic effect in a rat model of arthritis. The global market for auto-immune disease therapeutics is projected to be over $150 billion by 2025. We believe the issued patent portfolio that comes with these assets allows Silo to further advance its value to investors and future partners.”