Pr. Hafid Ait-Oufella | French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM); Mohamed ABOU ALI, PharmD; Tatiana MONSEUR, MsC Management; Vincent DUVAL, PhD; Rida Al-RIFAI, PharmD & PhD; Luna CHETRIT, PhD Student; Théo GUYON, Bachelor Research Biology Medical
Competition Sponsor: EIT Health of the European Union
Awardee Year: 2024
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally (>18 million deaths annually), yet treatments have seen little innovation in two decades.
New research reveals the immune system’s key role in disease progression, opening doors to immune-targeted therapies.
Founded in 2021, Polygon Therapeutics is a French biotech specializing in cardio-immunology. Polygon explores the dynamic interplay between the immune system and cardiovascular well-being to reshape cardiovascular care with fresh, efficient and targeted therapies.
The company’s proprietary platform, CARDINAL, develops therapeutic products, biomarkers, and diagnostic tools to address unmet needs in cardiovascular diseases. Our interdisciplinary team is backed by a distinguished Scientific Advisory Board and operates from both our Parisian headquarters and our research unit based at the Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC).
Polygon’s primary program EMOTION targets myocardial infarction (MI), which affects over 7 million people globally each year.
MI occurs when a blocked artery cuts off oxygen to the heart, causing cell death and long-term damage like heart failure. Current care focuses on restoring blood flow but fails to prevent ischemia-related damage. Polygon’s breakthrough discovery revealed the deleterious role of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in worsening MI. By depleting these cells, the company demonstrated a significant reduction in infarct size (-60%) and improved heart function (+25%) in preclinical models.
Building on this discovery, Polygon’s lead candidate, PLG-101, is the first human anti-CD8 antibody designed to prevent cardiomyocyte death and improve MI patients outcomes. After successfully completing key preclinical stages, Polygon is preparing for a First-In-Human trial.