AdAlta Ltd (ASX:1AD) is eyeing the application of AD-214 - its lead program and a first-in-class antifibrotic - to kidney and eye fibrosis, areas of significant unmet need with major commercial opportunity.
The company has had success with AD-214 in the area of lung fibrosis but recent data show encouraging potential in other disease areas such as kidney and eye.
“FY22 was a busy period and one which saw AdAlta deliver a number of important value-building milestones via our AD-214 program, and in the last few weeks, we’ve reported a substantial amount of new data for AD-214, our first-in-class anti-fibrotic," AdAlta chairman Paul MacLeman said in his address at the company’s 2022 annual general meeting.
"We have more to come through the next six months.
“We have chosen to proceed with an injectable format for AD-214. While we spent time evaluating the inhaled format through the year, it became clear that, despite being feasible, it would cost too much and take too long for us to get to the appropriate point with this formulation in time to start our next clinical trial - this time in Phase 2.
“We also completed the research program to develop and apply a radio-labelled version of AD-214 for use in PET imaging. This has been pivotal in optimising formulation and delivery of AD-214 and demonstrating feasibility of the inhaled version of AD-214,” he added.
The Australian Government Medical Research Future Fund’s Biomedical Translation Bridge program part-funded the research by contributing about $1 million.
Recent collaborations
The company recently entered into a collaboration with Australian drug developer Carina Biotech to attach its i-bodies to Carina’s CAR-T therapy to deliver better outcomes for cancer patients using precision medicine.
“We’re excited by the CAR-T market and the potential to do a better job for these patients. We have seen substantial interest from other parties, looking for ways to improve their own CAR-T assets and are in active business development discussions with a number of them,” MacLeman said.
It has also agreed with GPCR Therapeutics to explore AD-214 and other CXCR4 i-bodies in cancer, as a cost-effective way to progress an oncology pipeline.
To learn more, click here for AdAlta chief executive officer and managing director Tim Oldham’s presentation slides prepared for the meeting.