FORGE Life Science was founded in 2012 on discoveries made at Princeton University leading to break-through concepts in the control of infection. Like immuno-oncology drugs that use the host's immune-system to fight cancer, FORGE drugs use the host cell's intrinsic-immunity to defend against virus-infection. As such, FORGE antivirals are broadly effective against more than one virus-type and can significantly reduce acquired viral-resistance; they can be used as stand-alone therapies or in combination with existing direct-acting-antivirals. Importantly, this drug-class while targeting a host-mechanism (Sirtuin-proteins), has previously demonstrated safe exposure in the clinic. FORGE antivirals will revolutionize the treatment of viral-infections by targeting the infectious-disease condition (wherein the causative agent can be one of many different viruses) versus current therapies that target a single, specific virus-type.

FORGE host-targeted-antivirals comprise a platform-technology that can be applied to many infectious-diseases. Multiple assets and indications (via an underlying validated platform-technology) enables strategic-partnering to minimize burn and maximize exit opportunities, while progressing internal value creation through an orphan-drug path. Currently, FORGE has applied the technology towards 3 distinct drug-discovery programs, each funded by a distinct, awarded SBIR-grant, and comprising 3 distinct prototype-drugs (leads): (1) a respiratory-infections antiviral, (2) an antiviral addressing several opportunistic-viruses that infect immunocompromised-patients such as transplant-recipients, and (3) a brain-penetrant antiviral to treat viral-encephalitis caused by a plethora of rare but deadly viruses with no current therapies. In addition, yet to be pursued, the mechanism-of-action for program (1) predicts efficacy in combination with direct-acting-antivirals to effect a cure for hepatitis-B.