The Column Group's biotech taps Surrozen for lung disease research pact

TCGFB, a private biotech founded by healthcare VC The Column Group, is tapping California biotech Surrozen to discover antibodies for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, according to a Nov. 4 release.

TCGFB is paying Surrozen up to $6 million, plus any third-party costs, for antibodies that target transforming growth factor beta (TGF-Beta). Dysfunctional TGF-Beta is a major contributor to lung diseases and contributes to inflammation in pulmonary fibrosis that leads to lung wounding and eventual scarring.

Surrozen will provide two years of antibody discovery services while TCGFB will own all intellectual property related to TGF-Beta that emerges from the partnership. according to the release. 

“Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a devastating disease, and we look forward to working with TCGFB to discover antibodies targeting TGF-β as a potential novel, first-in-class therapeutic approach to address the underlying pathology,” Surrozen President and CEO Craig Parker said in the release.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic condition that leads to difficulty breathing, persistent cough and tiredness, among other symptoms. No cure is currently available for the condition. 

Amgen dropped a candidate for the disease just last week, after the drug—fipaxalparant, designed to block the lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1—missed all 14 of its primary and secondary endpoints in a phase 2 study.

Surrozen was founded in 2016 to develop therapeutics for targets in the Wnt pathway, a key signaling pathway that is involved in embryo development and tissue regeneration. In April, the firm reported that one of its Wnt-targeting antibodies reduced inflammation and scarring and improved lung function in mice with pulmonary fibrosis. 

Little is known about TCGFB, a biotech formed by San Francisco-based The Column Group. The VC recently backed the $100 million debut of Judo Therapeutics, a biotech going after kidney disease with oligonucleotides.

In February, the VC firm bought NGM Bio for $135 million and took it private, later overseeing the biotech’s $122 million series A.