Tellus Therapeutics


Tellus Therapeutics is a neonatal care company dedicated to developing treatments for preterm infants at risk for white matter injury (WMI). Founded in 2018, it is translating breakthrough science from Duke University, focusing on compounds found in breast milk that promote myelination and repair of brain injury. The company's mission is to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes for vulnerable newborns, with a pipeline that includes TT-20, a lead candidate for WMI treatment, and other pipeline programs. Tellus is pioneering neonatal drug development pathways and aims to provide safe, effective therapies for unmet needs in neonatal care.

Industries

biotechnology

Nr. of Employees

small (1-50)


Products

Lead neonatal therapeutic candidate for white matter (myelin) injury (preclinical)

A lipid-derived small-molecule candidate identified from human maternal breast milk designed to promote oligodendrocyte differentiation and restore myelination after perinatal white matter injury; being advanced through IND-enabling studies and formulation for IV neonatal use.

Pipeline compound identification program

Ongoing program to identify and advance additional compounds for indications relevant to neonatal intensive care beyond white matter injury.


Services

Execution of discovery, in vivo efficacy, PK and formulation studies to advance neonatal therapeutic candidates toward IND submission.

Preparation for and engagement with regulatory authorities (pre-IND) and pursuit of pediatric-oriented regulatory designations to facilitate neonatal clinical development.

Expertise Areas

  • Neonatal clinical trial design and strategy
  • Preclinical in vivo models of neonatal white matter injury
  • Discovery of natural product–derived small molecules
  • Formulation development for intravenous neonatal administration
  • Show More (4)

Key Technologies

  • Lipid-based small molecule therapeutics
  • Oligodendrocyte/ myelination biology assays
  • Neonatal rodent models of white matter injury
  • Preclinical pharmacokinetics (PK) studies
  • Show More (4)

News & Updates

Duke Clinical & Translational Science Institute and BioLabs North Carolina awarded the first Duke Golden Ticket to Dr. Eric Benner, co-founder of Tellus Therapeutics, to support development of a therapy using molecules derived from breast milk for neonatal brain injury.

A study led by Eric Benner, M.D., Ph.D., published in Cell Stem Cell, identified a lipid in breast milk that encourages stem cells to generate white matter in the brain, potentially reducing cerebral palsy in preterm infants.

Tellus Therapeutics closed a Series A financing round led by the Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund to support the development of TT-20 and pipeline programs.


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