Precision therapeutics targeting macrophages for fibrotic disease.
Meet the team.

Modumac Therapeutics is comprised of an expert team with decades of experience.

Robert Lafyatis, MD. 
President and CSO
  • Board-certified rheumatologist, specializing in the treatment of patients with scleroderma 
  • Thomas Medsger endowed professor and Scleroderma Center Director, University of Pittsburgh.
  • Co-organizer of the biennial International Workshop on Scleroderma Research.
Michael Zwick, PhD, MBA.
Vice President
  • Previously the Technology Manager, Proteomics, Promega Corporation
  • Past Vice President, Research & Development, IMMCO Diagnostics
  • Previous CEO, AndroBioSys, Inc.
  • Co-founder of Biomolecular Discovery Services, an antibody discovery company
Daniel Broderick, EIR.
Advisor
  • Served on the Board of Directors of the National Venture Capital Association
  • Founder of the Mid-America Healthcare Investor Network and Global Agtech Investor Network
  • Served on over 30 life science startup company boards
  • Served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Medical College of Wisconsin Research Foundation
Learn more.
Challenges
  • Systemic sclerosis (SSc)also known as scleroderma  is a rare autoimmune condition associated with lung fibrosis.
  • Scarring of lung tissues leads to loss of lung function and death, interstitial lung disease.
  • A macrophage subset, expressing the SPP1 gene encoding Osteopontin, activates fibroblasts and promotes scarring.
  • SPP1 expressing macrophages have also been described in idiopathic lung fibrosis (IPF), and fibrotic disease of the liver, muscle, heart and kidney.
Modumac’s Solution
Deplete SPP1 macrophages to block disease.
  • A therapeutic approach pioneered by the first monoclonal antibody therapy developed for cancer, anti-CD20, is to eliminate the offending cells.
  • Examining single cell RNA-sequencing data from fibrotic lungs we identified our highly specific target:
  • selectively expressed by SPP1 macrophages
  • We are developing a therapeutic based on a high affinity camelid antibody (nanobody) engineered to deplete SPP1 macrophages.
Market
  • Strong unmet clinical need for new treatments
  • Orphan disease indication with approximately 125,000 affected individuals in the US and 2.5 million worldwide
  • Market for SSc therapies is expected to grow to $1.8 billion in 2030 at a strong 14% compound annual growth rate (GlobalData)
Pipeline
Interested in collaborating?

Join a revolutionary advancement in medicine. Please reach out using the form below or directly at: rlafyatis@modumac.com.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.