ROME Therapeutics to Present Data Supporting LINE-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors as a Novel Treatment for Autoimmune Diseases at ACR Convergence 2024
–Inhibition of LINE-1 Reverse Transcriptase (RT) holds promise as the first non-immunosuppressant treatment approach for Type 1 interferon-driven diseases–
BOSTON – Nov. 7, 2024 – ROME Therapeutics, a biotechnology company illuminating the intersection of the dark genome and innate immunity to develop breakthrough medicines for autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases, today announced that it will present preclinical and non-interventional clinical data on its novel LINE-1 RT inhibitors at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) annual meeting, ACR Convergence 2024, which will be held November 14-19 in Washington, D.C. Building on previous findings shared by ROME, the new data further demonstrate the ability of the company’s LINE-1 RT inhibitors to suppress aberrant activation of Type 1 interferon signaling and their potential as a new class of therapeutics to address diseases known as Type 1 interferonopathies, such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) and other autoimmune diseases.
ROME is the pioneer and leader in understanding and drugging LINE-1 RT, a virus-like repetitive element in the dark genome. Under cellular stress and pathologic conditions, LINE-1 RT can activate the innate immune system by synthesizing RNA-DNA hybrids in the cytoplasm, which the cell detects as virus-like elements. This endogenous viral mimicry triggers signaling via nucleic acid sensor pathways (e.g, cGAS/STING) and activates a Type 1 interferon response as if the body is fighting an exogenous viral infection. ROME’s LINE-1 RT inhibitors block the formation of the virus-like RNA-DNA hybrids, stopping the driver of disease at the source, rather than the host response. LINE-1 RT inhibition has the potential to be the first non-immunosuppressant treatment approach for Type 1 interferon-driven diseases.
Poster Title: Novel LINE-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Can Suppress Type I Interferon Responses and Are Promising Therapeutics for Lupus
Abstract #: 0633
Date: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Session Title: SLE – Diagnosis, Manifestations, and Outcomes Poster I
Session Type: Poster Session A
Session Time: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm ET
About ROME
ROME Therapeutics is a pioneer and leader in illuminating the intersection of the dark genome and innate immunity to develop breakthrough medicines for autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. The company integrates data science, biology, chemistry and translational capabilities to understand and drug repetitive elements in the dark genome such as LINE-1 to advance a pipeline of medicines with the potential to treat underlying causes of disease. ROME’s lead program, a LINE-1 RT inhibitor for Type 1 interferonopathies, has the potential to be the first non-immunosuppressant treatment for autoimmune diseases. ROME is based in Boston, Mass. For more information, please visit www.rometx.com.
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