Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On October 16, 2023, Equillium, Inc. (the “Company”) will virtually host its previously announced analyst and investor day commencing at 9 a.m. PT. During the event, representatives of the Company will, among other things, provide an update on the Company’s pipeline and a review of the Company’s Multi-Cytokine Platform and clinical stage Multi-Cytokine Inhibitors. A copy of the presentation is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
The information in this Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and the presentation attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, are deemed to be “furnished” and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information set forth in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On October 16, 2023, the Company announced a presentation highlighting EQ302, a second generation orally deliverable multi-cytokine inhibitor in development to target IL-15 and IL-21.
The presentation outlines the origins of EQ302 from its parent peptide, EQ102, which was originally modeled from the D-helix of the IL-2 family of cytokines and binds directly to CD132 to inhibit the signaling of IL-15 and IL-21. Stable peptide derivatives of EQ102, including EQ302, are being developed by adding hydrocarbon staples to confer proteolytic resistance and increase stability in the gastrointestinal (“GI”) tract while retaining cytokine inhibitory properties, making it a potential candidate for clinical testing in a variety of GI diseases via oral administration.
EQ302 was administered to mice via oral delivery in a pre-clinical formulation designed to enhance permeability of the intestine. Following oral administration to mice challenged with human IL-15, small intestinal tissue was harvested and shown to contain significant amounts of EQ302. To demonstrate the local efficacy of the peptide, IL-15-induced Interferon-gamma (“IFNg”) levels within the intestinal tissue were measured and shown to be significantly decreased in EQ302-treated animals versus vehicle control animals.
The data illustrates that:
| | • | | Adding hydrocarbon staples to a peptide can confer increased stability in the GI tract while retaining its cytokine inhibitory properties. |
| | • | | Utilizing a pre-clinical formulation for enhanced epithelial permeability, EQ302 achieved meaningful concentration levels for localized cytokine inhibition in the small intestine. |
| | • | | EQ302 delivered to mice via oral gavage can inhibit IL-15 induced IFNg transcription locally in the GI tract indicating potential utility for Celiac Disease and inflammatory bowel disease. |
