According to Lpath Inc, the company has generated several monoclonal antibody product candidates targeting the leukotriene family of bioactive lipids. The lead antibody, which binds to and neutralizes several different leukotriene isoforms, is currently being tested in animal models of respiratory disease, including asthma.

“The scientific literature on the leukotriene pathway, coupled with our preliminary in vivo data, suggests that Lpath’s approach of specifically targeting the bioactive lipid, rather than the proteins themselves, may have significant benefits over prior drug-discovery efforts in this area,” said Gary Woodnutt, PhD, Lpath’s senior vice president of research.

“If the data continue to be positive and our preclinical development efforts are successful, we intend to file an IND sometime in late 2015.”