Serpin Pharma Partners with Dogwood Therapeutics to Develop and Commercialize SP16 as a Treatment for Cancer-Related Pain

Manassas, VA - Serpin Pharma is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Dogwood Therapeutics to develop and commercialize SP16, a novel therapeutic candidate aimed at treating cancer-related pain. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Serpin’s mission to advance immunoregulatory therapies that address unmet medical needs.

Serpin Pharma has discovered the active portion of A1AT responsible for both the anti-inflammatory (analgesic) activity as well as tissue repair, and this active portion is represented by SP16.  SP16 is a first-in-class LRP1 agonist which has demonstrated both anti-inflammatory and neural repair activity that has the potential to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).  SP16 IV is the focus of a forthcoming Phase 1b CIPN study that is fully funded by the National Cancer Institute, reflecting the uniqueness of this approach, as well as the extraordinary unmet medical need associated with this debilitating cancer-related condition.    

Dogwood Therapeutics boasts an exceptional track record in clinical and regulatory development, having successfully contributed to the approval and launch of ten new medicines—many of which address pain and inflammation. The team is led by Greg Danken, a former Pfizer executive with an impressive history of driving complex programs from bench to bedside. 

“After reviewing potential partners for this program, we believe Greg Duncan and the Dogwood team is best poised to take SP16 IV for CRP through the clinic to address this major unmet need” said Dr. Cohava Gelber, CEO of Serpin Pharma.

“The SP16 in-license aligns with our strategic objective of expanding our research pipeline in an area where Dogwood’s pain and neuropathy management research expertise can add value to both the asset increasing our equity value for shareholders,” said Greg Duncan, Dogwood Therapeutics Chief Executive Officer.  “The National Cancer Institute’s funding of the SP16 IV Phase 1b program obviates the need to use our existing capital in the near-term to advance SP16 into clinical development.” 

SP16 IV mimics the activity of alpha-1-antitrypsin’s (A1AT) anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions.  In preclinical research, SP16 has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and analgesic benefits, as well as neural restorative and repair activity, both of which hold promise for addressing the multitude of symptoms and damage and functional complication of CIPN.  

“SP16 IV may have intrinsic potential to deliver adjunctive improvement of non-pain symptoms if utilized with Halneuron^®, the Company’s lead development candidate.” said Lawrence Steinmann, MD, Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Pediatrics, and Genetics at Stanford University and Scientific Advisory Board Member of Serpin Pharma.

This partnership reflects Serpin Pharma’s commitment to innovation and its strategic focus on immunoregulatory therapeutics. The companies anticipate recruiting patients for its phase Ib clinical trial in early 2026.

About Serpin Pharma

Serpin Pharma is a private, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing first-in-class immunoregulatory therapies for inflammation-driven diseases. Its lead candidate, SP16, is a proprietary LRP1 agonist with a unique triad of therapeutic attributes: it is anti-inflammatory while non-immunosuppressive, promotes cell and tissue repair, and delivers analgesic effects. With a commitment to precision medicine and translational science, Serpin is advancing a pipeline of innovative treatments designed to address urgent unmet medical needs across oncology, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative indications.

About Dogwood Therapeutics

Dogwood Therapeutics (Nasdaq: DWTX) is a development-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new medicines to treat pain and fatigue-related disorders. The Dogwood research pipeline includes two separate mechanistic platforms with a non-opioid analgesic program and an antiviral program. The proprietary, non-opioid, NaV 1.7 analgesic program is centered on our lead development candidate, Halneuron®, which is a highly specific voltage-gated sodium channel modulator, a mechanism known to be effective for reducing pain transmission. In clinical studies, Halneuron® treatment has demonstrated pain reduction in pain related to general cancer and in pain related to CINP. Interim data from the ongoing Halneuron® Phase 2 CINP study are expected in Q4 of 2025.

Media Contact:info@serpinpharma.com

The Sage Group advises Serpin Pharmaceuticals

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