Idera Pharmaceuticals entered into a Materials Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (M-CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to evaluate the company’s Toll-like receptor (TLR) antagonists as a potential approach to the treatment of certain genetically defined B-cell lymphomas.

Idera Pharmaceuticals’ technology platform involves creating novel synthetic RNA- and DNA-based compounds to modulate immune responses. Idera has applied this platform to develop proprietary Toll-like receptor (TLR) antagonists as immunomodulatory drug candidates. Toll-like receptor antagonists block the overactivation of immune factors which can cause a range of pathological effects. Idera is conducting clinical development of TLR antagonists in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and preclinical development of their use in certain genetically defined lymphomas.