The story behind Lipum
Lipum AB was founded based on discoveries made by scientists at Umeå University. The history of this innovation date back to the 1970s, when Prof. Olle Hernell and his research group studied breast milk and identified an enzyme that facilitates the digestion of milk fat in breastfed infants, which they named Bile Salt-Stimulated Lipase (BSSL).
Subsequent studies revealed that BSSL is also present in the bloodstream, suggesting that BSSL has biological functions beyond lipid digestion. Further research demonstrated that BSSL plays a role in inflammatory processes and is present in human platelets, from which it is released upon activation, for example at sites of inflammation.
This novel and unexpected finding shifted the focus of the research toward understanding the role of BSSLin inflammation. Continued scientific progress highlighted the medical potential of these discoveries, ultimately leading Prof. Hernell, Assoc. Prof. Susanne Lindquist, and Prof. Lennart Lundberg to found Lipum in 2010.
Development of SOL-116
Lipum has identified Bile Salt-Stimulated Lipase (BSSL) as a novel target for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. BSSL contributes to the recruitment of inflammatory cells to sites of inflammation, a process that is important during the acute phase but may become dysregulated in chronic disease, thereby sustaining inflammation.
The role of BSSL has been demonstrated in several well-established animal models of arthritis in mice and rats. In these studies, treatment with anti-BSSL antibodies significantly reduced disease severity compared to controls, supporting the concept of targeting BSSL to modulate inflammation.
Based on these findings, Lipum developed SOL-116, a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to bind to and inhibit BSSL. The development process involved extensive screening and optimization of antibody candidates in preclinical studies. With support from the Drug Discovery and Development platform at SciLifeLab in Uppsala and Stockholm, a lead candidate was selected in 2019 and subsequently patented, with intellectual property protection expected until 2040.
Lipum has completed a First-in-Human Phase I study evaluating single ascending doses and multiple doses of SOL-116 in healthy volunteers, as well as a single dose in patients with mild rheumatoid arthritis. The results support continued clinical development of SOL-116 as a potential treatment for inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.