Cambridge, Mass. — LAPIX Therapeutics has appointed Nimbus Therapeutics CEO Abbas Kazimi to its Board of Directors as the biotechnology company advances its lead autoimmune drug through Phase 1b clinical trials.
Kazimi brings more than 20 years of biotechnology experience in company building, corporate strategy, financing and drug development. At Nimbus, he has overseen the development of a pipeline of precision medicines targeting diseases with significant unmet needs.
“LAPIX is pursuing a differentiated approach to autoimmune disease at a time when patients and physicians continue to need better therapies that can deliver a meaningful and durable benefit,” Kazimi said. “The company’s TIM-3/TIM-4 agonist platform has the potential to open a new therapeutic path and redefine how autoimmune diseases are treated, and the emerging clinical progress is particularly compelling. I look forward to working with the team as they advance their lead therapeutic and build a leading immunology company.”
LAPIX is developing LPX-TI641, a TIM-3/TIM-4 agonist being evaluated in Phase 1b studies in rheumatoid arthritis and atopic dermatitis.
“Abbas is a highly respected biotechnology leader with deep experience in company building, strategy, financing, and drug development,” said Anas Fathallah, Chief Executive Officer of LAPIX Therapeutics. “As we advance our lead program through Phase 1b studies in RA and AD, his experience scaling innovative biotechnology companies and guiding transformative therapies through development will be invaluable. We are excited to welcome him to the Board during this important phase of growth.”
The company is evaluating LPX-TI641 in more than 75 patients at two dose levels for up to three months. LAPIX also plans to study the treatment in additional autoimmune diseases.
The experimental therapy is designed to selectively target disease-causing immune cells while preserving broader immune function. LAPIX said the approach could provide deeper and more durable disease control than conventional immunosuppressive treatments while avoiding some of their associated side effects.
