Dr. Daniel Starczynowski joins Drug Farm Scientific Advisory Board
ALBANY, N.Y. & SHANGHAI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Drug Farm, a private biotechnology company utilizing genetics and artificial intelligence technologies to discover and develop innovative, immune-modulating therapies announced today that it has entered into a Material Transfer Agreement with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). Under the agreement, Drug Farm will provide DF-003 to the laboratory of Dr. Daniel Starczynowski, Katherine Stewart Waters Endowed Chair of Hematological Malignancies at CCHMC, to investigate the potential therapeutic benefits of ALPK1 inhibition in diseases associated with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). In conjunction with the collaboration, Dr. Starczynowski will join Drug Farm’s Scientific Advisory Board to provide expertise and strategic leadership.
“A recently published Nature article from the laboratory of Dr. Starczynowski has established a direct link between ADP-heptose (a specific activator of ALPK1) and CHIP. Because CHIP is known to significantly increase risk of heart disease and blood cancers, there now exists a clear mechanism-based rationale to investigate ALPK1 inhibitor, DF-003 in clinical trials for the treatment of these diseases,” said Henri Lichenstein, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Drug Farm. “We are honored to collaborate with Dan and are excited about his new role on Drug Farm’s Scientific Advisory Board to provide invaluable knowledge on how ADP-heptose/ALPK1 drives disease in CHIP carriers.”
“Our laboratory has shown that age-related changes in gut health activate the ADP-heptose/ALPK1 axis and promote expansion of CHIP stem cells leading to increased risk of heart disease and blood cancers,” said Dr. Dan Starczynowski. “We are excited to collaborate on a drug that has excellent scientific rationale and offers a new precision-targeted approach to treat age-related diseases driven by CHIP.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Drug Farm will retain all rights, title, and interest in DF-003.
About DF-003
DF-003 is a proprietary, first-in-class drug developed by Drug Farm that inhibits the activity of ALPK1 and variants of ALPK1 that cause ROSAH (retinal dystrophy, optic nerve edema, splenomegaly, anhidrosis and headache) syndrome. DF-003 has completed a Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT05997641) in normal healthy volunteers and is now accruing patients with ROSAH syndrome in a Phase 1b trial (NCT06395285).
About Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP)
Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is defined by the presence of acquired somatic mutations in blood-forming stem cells without hematologic malignancy1. Diagnosis is made through molecular genetic testing of blood, and CHIP increases with ageing. CHIP significantly increases risk of developing heart disease and blood cancers1,2. The ADP-heptose/ALPK1 pathway represents a direct link between ageing and expansion of CHIP3.
1. Jaiswal, S. et al. Clonal Hematopoiesis and Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. N Engl J Med, 2017 Jul 13;377(2):111-121. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1701719. Epub 2017 Jun 21.
2. Jaiswal, S. and Ebert, B. Clonal hematopoiesis in human aging and disease. Science, 2019 Nov 1;366(6465):eaan4673. doi: 10.1126/science.aan4673.
3. Agarwal, P. , et al. Microbial metabolite drives ageing-related clonal haematopoiesis via ALPK1. Nature, 2025 Jun;642(8066):201-211. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-08938-8. Epub 2025 Apr 23.
About Drug Farm
Drug Farm is a private biotechnology Company developing innovative treatments targeting innate immunity for heart disease, blood cancers, ROSAH (retinal dystrophy, optic nerve edema, splenomegaly, anhidrosis and headache) syndrome and hepatitis B. For more information please visit: https://www.drug-farm.com.
Contacts
United States:
Henri Lichenstein, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Email: [email protected]
China:
Tony Xu, Ph.D.
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer
Email: [email protected]
