XL‑protein Launches Spin-Off PASylANTA Therapeutics to Develop Long‑Acting IL‑1Ra Biobetters
Freising, Germany, May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XL‑protein GmbH today announced the launch of PASylANTA Therapeutics GmbH, a new Germany-based biotechnology company focused on the development of long‑acting IL‑1 receptor antagonist (IL‑1Ra) therapies to support improved long‑term disease management.
PASylANTA builds on XL‑protein’s proprietary PASylation® technology, a biodegradable alternative to PEGylation designed to extend the half‑life of biologics without synthetic polymers. This next‑generation approach enables the engineering of long‑acting protein/peptide therapeutics with improved pharmacokinetics and a favorable safety profile.
PASylANTA's lead program, PAS‑IL‑1Ra, applies PASylation® technology to the IL‑1 receptor antagonist, an approved drug administered once daily, to engineer a long‑acting therapeutic candidate that enables weekly dosing and potentially improves treatment adherence.
PASylANTA is led by an experienced founding team:
- Sergio Lai, CEO & Managing Director
- Dr. Michaela Gebauer, CSO & Managing Director
- Claus Schalper, Co‑Founder
- Prof. Arne Skerra, Board Member
The company is further strengthened by Key Opinion Leaders with internationally recognized expertise in rheumatology, immunology, and autoinflammatory diseases:
- Prof. Fabrizio De Benedetti, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome
- Prof. Lorenzo Dagna, IRCCS San Raffaele, Milan
- Prof. Evangelos Giamarellos‑Bourboulis, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens
Their involvement provides strong clinical insight and external validation for PASylANTA’s drug development strategy.
Uli Binder, Managing Director of XL‑protein, commented: “PASylANTA represents the next step in realizing the full therapeutic potential of PASylation®; incorporation as a dedicated biotechnology company ensures the focus and agility required to advance long‑acting anti-IL‑1 therapies.”
Sergio Lai, CEO of PASylANTA, stated: "Our goal is to build on a clinically validated pathway and develop a next‑generation IL‑1 antagonist, combining a proven mode of action with substantially extended half‑life, enabling weekly dosing. We are building a company that combines scientific rigor, clinical insight, and operational efficiency."
PASylANTA will now advance the development strategy for its lead program while engaging with the broader biotech, clinical, and investor community.
About PASylANTA Therapeutics GmbH: PASylANTA (www.pasylanta.com) is a biotechnology company developing long‑acting IL‑1 biobetters designed to support improved long‑term disease management. PASylANTA has been established as a focused development vehicle for long‑acting IL‑1 antagonist therapies based on PASylation® technology.
About XL‑protein GmbH: XL‑protein GmbH (www.xl-protein.com) is a privately owned biotech company based in the Munich area in Germany, which exploits its proprietary, clinical-stage PASylation® technology to develop biologics with extended half-life and enhanced in vivo activity. PASylation® is a fully biological technology utilizing biodegradable amino acid sequences that can be applied both to approved biopharmaceuticals, yielding second generation drugs (biobetters), and to innovative therapeutic proteins, including antibodies, as well as peptides or small molecule drugs. PASylated biologics allow less frequent and/or lower dosing combined with better patient tolerability, either upon systemic application or in the eye.
Logo: PASylANTA therapeutics
Press Inquiries
XL-protein GmbH
Uli Binder (Managing Director)
Phone: +49-8161-53730-90
E-Mail: bd [at] xl-protein.com
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