8 November 2021 - - US-based biotechnology company Rome Therapeutics has posted new preclinical data demonstrating the ability of endogenous reverse transcriptase inhibition to block pathological immune responses in autoimmune disease models, the company said.

Rome said the results highlight the role of eRT in modulating the immune response, supporting its potential as a therapeutic target for autoimmune disease.

The data will be presented TODAY at the American College of Rheumatology Convergence 2021 Virtual Meeting. ROME has identified eRT as its first target and will continue to advance this program to identify eRT inhibitors for further development.

Approximately 60% of the human genome consists of repetitive sequences of nucleic acids, known as repeats.

Certain repeats, such as LINE1 and HERV-K, encode functional eRTs. These eRTs convert RNA into DNA in the cytosol, triggering nucleic acid-sensors, such as cGAS, leading to a viral mimicry response characterized by production of Type I interferon.

Because excess Type I interferon production can lead to autoimmune disease, eRT inhibitors, which block the reverse transcription of repeat RNA into DNA, have the potential to improve pathological outcomes.

The data show that a potent and selective eRT inhibitor, Compound A, demonstrated the following:
- Inhibition of LINE1 retrotransposition in a cellular assay
- Inhibition of Type I interferon response in a cellular model of Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome
- Attenuation of antigen-specific T cell responses in MOG-immunized mice

Rome Therapeutics is developing novel therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases by harnessing the power of the repeatome vast stretches of uncharted genetic material that have long been dismissed as the "dark genome."

With several drug targets identified and multiple discovery programs underway, Rome is moving rapidly to leverage this new frontier in biology.

To lead this exploration, Rome has assembled a team of professionals across fields including oncology, immunology, virology, chemistry and machine learning. Rome is based in Cambridge, Mass.