Principal Investigator
Éric Boilard
CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, and the ARThrite Research Center
Project of $544,469 over 2.5 year
- Supported by CQDM through:
Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie du Québec (MEIE) - And by co-funding partners:
– SPM Therapeutics Inc.
The project in detail:
Challenge
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing inflammation and tissue damage. SLE affects 1-in-1,000 individuals, mainly women. There is currently no cure, and complications like lupus nephritis can impair kidney function. Current treatments may ease symptoms but often fail to achieve full remission and can cause serious side effects, including immunosuppression. Therefore, safer, more effective therapies are urgently needed to improve patient outcomes.
Solution
SLE is strongly associated with a defective capability of some immune cells to remove cellular debris from dead cells, causing autoimmunity and inflammation. Maresin-1 (MaR1) is an endogenous anti-inflammatory mediator that promotes clearance of cellular debris and promotes the termination of inflammation. As such, the research team, in collaboration with SPM Therapeutics, have hypothesized that MaR1 could improve and even treat SLE without the side-effects of conventional anti-inflammatory drugs. This project proposes to develop innovative formulations of a MaR1-derived compound and to study their stability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy in cellular and animal models of SLE.
Expected Achievements /Impacts
The project aims to deliver optimized MaR1-related compound formulations ready for formal preclinical development, paving the way for safer, potent and self-administered treatment options for SLE. This would not only enhance the quality of life of patients but also establish a maresin-based therapeutic platform applicable to other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Beyond scientific publications and patent filings, the collaboration will enable SPM Therapeutics to advance promising candidates into clinical trials and help strengthen Quebec’s life sciences ecosystem.
