Cancers that over-express folate receptors, such as ovarian, NSCLC, breast, colorectal, renal cell, and gastric cancer, affect more than 400,000 people in the United States.  Folate is required for cellular division and rapidly dividing cancer cells over-express receptors for the vitamin.   It may be possible to treat these patients more effectively with a drug attached to a folate ligand that can be delivered directly to the folate receptors on their cancer cells, developing other targeting ligands that may benefit additional cancer patients.

Looking beyond cancer, we are also advancing research to develop products that can target an essential immune cell – the activated macrophage - which plays a role in a number of diseases.  Activated macrophages release pro-inflammatory agents such as TNF and IL-2, which are the target of immune-modulating drugs such as Humira, Enbrel and Kineret.