Epeius pharma is a cell and gene therapy company developing next-generation biological vehicles for delivery of therapeutic proteins into the central nervous system (CNS). Efficient and predictable therapeutics delivery is particularly challenging in neurological diseases due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which tightly regulates the transport of molecules to the brain, and blocks the transport of most large, charged and hydrophilic molecules, which are common features of therapeutic agents. The lack of efficient CNS delivery methods limits protein replacement therapy and remains to be one of the greatest unmet needs for neurological disorders treatment. While the problems of delivery across the BBB and into cells present crippling challenges for drug delivery, some organisms have independently evolved to breach the BBB and secrete proteins to their host’s cells. A striking example is Toxoplasma gondii, a highly prevalent intracellular protozoan parasite, which infects all warm-blooded organisms. It is estimated that 30% of human population have antibodies for Toxoplasma gondii, which indicates they were exposed for Toxoplasma in their life span. Upon entry into the human body, T. gondii actively migrates to the brain and passes the blood brain barrier (BBB). Most importantly, throughout the infection, T. gondii secrets effector proteins into the host neuron cells and into the extracellular brain environment.
