Synairgen plc (LON:SNG) is on track to start the first clinical trial of a new lung fibrosis treatment later this year after pre-clinical work showed more evidence of improved breathing.
Australian firm Pharmaxis is collaboraing with Synairgen on the programme that will target scar tissue that inhibits breathing in sufferers of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a lethal lung condition.
If toxicology studies are successful, the phase 1 safety will start as planned in the second half of 2017, said Synairgen.
Watch: Synairgen's chief hails exciting IPF data from LOXL2 inhibitor programme
IPF causes a build-up of scar tissue, which damages the structure of the lung and affects normal uptake of oxygen into the blood.
The resultant stiffening of the lungs makes it increasingly difficult to breathe.
Lab work involving lysyl oxidase-like 2 enzyme inhibitors (LOXL2) has already indicated lower tissue stiffness of around 50%.
This latest research also suggests that that oral administration of one of these compounds significantly inhibited cross-link formation, reduced fibrosis score and improved lung function.
Richard Marsden, Synairgen’s chief executive, said: “The effect of these inhibitors across different model types is very exciting, suggesting that inhibition of LOXL2 has the potential to improve lung function in severely ill patients with lung fibrosis by reducing tissue stiffness.”
IPF kills within 2-3 years and affects 132,000 people in the US, with currently available treatments generating revenues of around US$1bn in 2016.
Marsden added: “2017 will be an important year for Synairgen. Subject to the successful completion of on-going pre-clinical work, we expect to commence Phase I clinical trials of the LOXL2 inhibitor during the second half of 2017.
“The window for licensing the LOXL2 programme to a pharmaceutical partner will open at the end of Phase I."
The outcome of the AstraZeneca Phase II trial of interferon beta should also be releaesd during the first half of 2017, he added.
Last October, FTSE 100-listed AstraZeneca halted work on the phase IIa clinical trial after it struggled to find enough hard-to-treat cases among asthma sufferers.
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