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aTyr Pharma Announces Dosing of First Patient in Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT™ Study of Efzofitimod in Patients with SSc-ILD
Multiple centers in the U.S. are open for enrollment SAN DIEGO, Oct. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- aTyr Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: LIFE) (aTyr or the Company), a
About this update from Atyr Pharma, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Multiple centers in the U.S. are open for enrollment\nSAN DIEGO, Oct. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- aTyr Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: LIFE) (aTyr or the Company), a clinical stage biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of first-in-class medicines from its proprietary tRNA synthetase platform, today announced that it has dosed the first patient in its Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT™ study. The proof-of-concept study will evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the Company’s lead therapeutic candidate, efzofitimod, compared to placebo in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc, or scleroderma)-related interstitial lung disease (ILD). Efzofitimod is a first-in-class biologic immunomodulator that selectively modulates activated myeloid cells through neuropilin-2 (NRP2) to resolve inflammation without immune suppression and potentially prevent the progression of fibrosis. Efzofitimod has been granted U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Union orphan drug and U.S. FDA Fast Track designations for SSc. “We are very pleased to begin patient dosing in EFZO-CONNECT™, which is our second clinical study for efzofitimod in ILD,” said Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S., President and Chief Executive Officer of aTyr. “Efzofitimod has been shown preclinically to reduce lung and skin fibrosis in models of SSc, and NRP2, efzofitimod’s binding partner, is expressed in the skin of SSc patients. We believe there is compelling rationale that efzofitimod has the potential to target the underlying disease pathology central to this form of ILD and positively impact lung function and improve outcomes in these patients.” “Patients with SSc-ILD have limited treatment options and poor prognosis, with ILD being their leading cause of death,” said Kristin Highland, M.D., Director, Rheumatic Lung Disease Program at the Cleveland Clinic. “This study, which evaluates a therapy that targets the inflammatory and fibrotic characteristics of this disease, is an important step forward towards developing a treatment that can potentially improve the prognosis and quality of life for patients in need.” The Phase 2 study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept study to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of efzofitimod in patients with SSc-ILD. This is a 28-week study with three parallel cohorts randomized 2:2...