The phosphoinositide-3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of enzymes involved in cellular functions, including cell proliferation and survival, cell differentiation, intracellular trafficking and immunity. The delta and gamma isoforms of PI3K are strongly implicated in immune-mediated inflammatory and allergic disorders. Restricted primarily to cells of the immune system, these two isoforms regulate diverse cellular functions of the immune system.
In July 2010, Intellikine announced a collaborative partnership with Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: INFI), an innovative drug discovery and development company, under which Infinity obtained global development and commercialization rights to Intellikine’s portfolio of inhibitors of the delta and gamma isoforms of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K). Among these inhibitors is INK1197, an orally available dual delta/gamma-specific inhibitor of PI3K for which clinical development in inflammatory diseases is expected to commence in 2011.
In addition, Intellikine will contribute to the collaboration its portfolio of novel PI3Kdelta-selective and PI3Kdelta/gamma dual-selective compounds, providing multiple opportunities for Infinity to develop differentiated therapies against inflammatory and autoimmune diseases as well as hematologic cancers.