CIT Therapeutics Forms Strategic Partnership with the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI), Securing Up to $2.5M to Advance Novel Cancer Therapies

IFLI backs CIT's pioneering approach to accelerate the development of innovative treatments for follicular lymphoma and other blood cancers

DIAMOND BAR, Calif., Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CIT Therapeutics, Inc. (CIT), a biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation small molecule therapies targeting SUMOylation for cancer treatment, today announced a strategic partnership with the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI). As part of this collaboration, IFLI will invest up to $2.5 million to support CIT's clinical development efforts, particularly in follicular lymphoma.

CIT is advancing a first-in-class, orally bioavailable small molecule that selectively inhibits the SUMO E1 enzyme through an allosteric covalent mechanism. This novel approach has demonstrated high specificity in proteome-wide analyses, offering a promising therapeutic strategy to both kill cancer cells and stimulate the immune system.

The investment from IFLI will support CIT's upcoming Phase 1/1b clinical trial of its lead candidate, SB-4826, in patients with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, including those with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma.

This partnership underscores IFLI's commitment to accelerating the development of transformative therapies for follicular lymphoma and related blood cancers. It also highlights CIT's innovative platform as a potential game-changer in the oncology landscape.

"We are pleased to collaborate with CIT in their mission to improve outcomes for patients with follicular lymphoma," said Dave McCullagh, Managing Director of IFLI.

"This partnership represents a significant step forward in bringing SUMOylation-targeted therapies to the clinic. We are proud to support CIT in pioneering this new therapeutic modality. Inhibiting SUMOylation can reprogram tumor microenvironments, sensitize tumors to chemo and radiotherapy, and suppress oncogenic signaling" Michel Azoulay, MD, Chief Medical Officer of IFLI.

"Our vision is to transform cancer care by developing therapies that target novel biological mechanisms, which aligns with that of IFLI," said Yuan Chen, PhD, Founder and CEO of CIT Therapeutics and Professor and Chief in the Division of Surgical Sciences and Professor in the Division Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Moores Cancer Center. "We are excited for this partnership and eager to start our clinical trial to deliver meaningful benefit to patients."

About CIT Therapeutics:
CIT Therapeutics is a clinical stage company aiming to address novel mechanisms to address unmet medical needs in cancers and autoimmune disorders.

About IFLI
The Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI) is a global, non-profit, private foundation dedicated to accelerating the development of innovative treatment options for patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). IFLI supports cutting-edge research and technology to lead to the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics and/or biomarkers for the treatment of FL, and to understand the biology of FL. The foundation deploys its budget across grants, project-based partnerships, and venture philanthropic investments to achieve its innovation goals. IFLI promotes collaboration and works to enable data sharing and the exchange of knowledge and expertise among researchers and institutions advancing FL research. Learn more at www.i-fli.org.

Media Contact, IFLI
Laura DiCaprio
McDougall Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI); CIT Therapeutics, Inc.