Available treatments for eosinophilic asthma carry a broad risk of side effects. Areteia Therapeutics is developing an oral therapy designed to match blockbuster biologics for this severe form of asthma, but with a potentially better safety profile.On Tuesday, the new company unveil its approach and a financial commitment of up to $350 million to support pivotal testing of its experimental drug.
Like other forms of asthma, eosinophilic asthma causes the airways to become inflamed and blocked by mucus, making it difficult to breathe. But eosinophilic asthma originates from a type of white blood cell called an eosinophil. At high levels, eosinophils can cause airway inflammation.
Areteia’s lead drug candidate is dexpramipexole, a first-in-class small molecule designed to block the maturation and release of eosinophils in the bone marrow that produce these cells. In a placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial involving patients with moderate-to-severe eosinophilic asthma, the company said that at the three doses tested, treatment with its drug resulted in significant blood levels of eosinophils, Dose-dependent reduction. In addition, the once-daily pill was well tolerated by patients and no serious adverse reactions were reported. With the new capital, Areteia plans to advance to Phase 3 testing. Success there could lead to redemption for a drug that has previously underperformed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Dexpramipexole comes from the laboratory of Knopp Biosciences in Pittsburgh. A decade ago, the privately held drug discovery company was working with Biogen to develop dpramipexole for ALS. year 2013, Biogen reports that the drug failed its Phase 3 clinical trial. Under Knopp’s leadership, the drug continues clinical development in eosinophilic asthma.
The first-line drug for eosinophilic asthma treatment is usually inhaled steroids. Oral steroids offer another option if symptoms are severe. But long-term use of these drugs increases the risk of osteoporosis, weight gain and diabetes. Injectable biologics offer another treatment option. These antibody drugs are designed to block interleukin 5, a signaling protein that plays a key role in eosinophil maturation. The drugs can also cause allergic reactions and increase the risk of infection, but that hasn’t stopped them from becoming top sellers. AstraZeneca’s Faserra and GlaxoSmithKline’s Nucala will have revenues of $1.2 billion and £1.14 billion ($1.15 billion), respectively, in 2021, according to company financial reports. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries sells Cinqair to treat eosinophilic asthma; the company’s annual report does not list individual product sales.
Areteia was created by Knopp and Population Health Partners, a private equity firm forming new companies around late-stage drug candidates with the potential to address epidemic diseases. If dexpramipexole wins regulatory approval as the first oral drug for eosinophilic asthma, the company said it could be an alternative to biologics and potentially an earlier treatment.
The Series A round, announced Tuesday, was led by Bain Capital Life Sciences. With financing, dextropramipexole was transferred from Knopp to Areteia. Other investors include Access Biotechnology, GV, Arch Venture Partners, Saturn Partners, Sanofi, Maverick Capital and Population Health Partners.
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