• 01 Mar 2024
• Admin
• News Article

Innovent Begins Dosing in Phase I of IBI3002

Innovent Announces First Participant Dosed in a Phase I Study of IBI3002 (an anti-IL-4Rα/TSLP bispecific antibody) in Australia

Overview

Innovent Biologics, Inc. a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, metabolic, autoimmune, ophthalmology and other major diseases, announces that the first participant has been dosed in Australia in a first-in-human (FIH) phase 1 clinical trial of IBI3002, a global first-in-class bispecific antibody targeting Interleukin 4 receptor α (IL-4Rα) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP).

About FIH Study

This FIH study (NCT06213844) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose (SAD) study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) (only in participants with asthma) of IBI3002 in healthy participants and participants with mild to moderate asthma, and to support further global clinical development of IBI3002.

About IBI3002

• IBI3002 is a humanized bispecific antibody targeting cell surface IL-4Rα and the alarmin cytokine TSLP, discovered and developed by Innovent for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including asthma. 
• IL-4 receptors mediate the IL-4 signaling (both type 1 and type 2) and the IL-13 signaling (type 2). 
• Both cytokine signaling pathways play key roles in the pathophysiology of type 2 (T2) inflammatory disorders1. 
• TSLP is an epithelial cell-derived alarmin cytokine and triggers both T2 and non-T2 inflammation in asthma2.
• IBI3002 has high-efficient dual-blocking function on both IL-4Rα and TSLP. 
• In-vitro assays have shown superiority over the marketed monoclonal antibodies to respective target. 
• By targeting both IL-4Rα and TSLP, IBI3002 is hypothesized to have potential effect in suppressing T2 and non-T2 inflammation. 
• The potential synergistic effect in suppressing T2 inflammation is believed to be the basis of its superior efficacy in the treatment of T2 inflammatory disorders.

Statement from Innovent

• Dr. Lei Qian, Vice President of Clinical Development at Innovent, stated, ""In the last few decades, knowledge about both pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical phenotypes and therapeutic options for asthma have significantly increased. 
• In particular, the introduction of biologics for severe asthma paved the way to a true revolution in the field of asthma management, by potentially allowing a precision medicine approach. 
• Targeting specific steps of the immune-inflammatory cascade through highly selective drugs represents a true revolution in the field of severe asthma management, and brings with it the potential of achieving optimal disease control in different severe asthma inflammatory phenotypes. We are looking forward to the development of this molecule in asthma and other inflammatory diseases.""

About Asthma

• Asthma is a heterogeneous disease driven by multiple immune cells, cytokines and inflammatory mediators, affecting all age groups. Characterized by variable symptoms of wheeze, shortness of breath, cough, and chest tightness, asthma is associated with chronic airway inflammation, reversible airflow limitation, and airway hyperresponsiveness3. 
• According to the 2015 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, about 358 million people are suffering from asthma4. 
• Asthma can be broadly classified as eosinophilic or non-eosinophilic on the basis of airway or peripheral blood cellular profiles. 
• Eosinophilic inflammation is driven predominantly by T2 inflammation, including T-helper cells type 2 and group 2 innate lymphoid cells5. 
• Compared with eosinophilic asthma, non-eosinophilic asthma is poorly understood6. Up to 10% of adults and 2.5% of children with asthma have severe asthma7. 
• Patients with severe asthma have persistent symptoms or frequent exacerbations that require repetitive systemic glucocorticoid bursts or maintenance, despite adequate treatment with high-dose inhaled treatments8. In these patients, add-on treatment, which may include biologic therapies, is needed to reduce the disease burden2,3.

IBI3002: Characteristics & Potential

• IBI3002 is a global first-in-class bispecific antibody targeting cell surface IL-4Rα and the alarmin cytokine TSLP. 
• It has high-efficient dual-blocking function on both IL-4Rα and TSLP. 
• In-vitro assays have shown superiority over the marketed monoclonal antibodies to respective targets. 
• By simultaneously targeting IL-4Rα and TSLP, IBI3002 has the potential of treating several inflammatory disorders, including asthma.
• About IL-4
• IL-4 is a central mediator of type 2 lymphocyte cell differentiation; it induces the production of type 2 associated cytokines such as IL-5, IL-9, IL-13, and/or type 2 related chemokines as thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) and eotaxins-3. 
• IL-4 involved in B cells regulated isotype class switching to produce serum IgE, and the eosinophils recruitment through IL-5 releasement. 
• Although IL-13 displays some redundancies in these pro-inflammatory processes, it has additional roles in mediating goblet cell hyperplasia, mucus production, smooth muscle contractility, and airway hyperresponsiveness. 
• Together, IL-4 and IL-13 play critical roles in T2 inflammation1.

About TSLP

TSLP is an epithelial cell-derived alarmin cytokine that occupies an upstream position in the T2 inflammation induction and Th2 cells differentiation and maturation via IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 production. TSLP is also believed to be a trigger of non-T2 inflammation in asthma 2.

About Innovent

Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to provide high-quality biologics that are affordable to all. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that treat some of the most intractable illnesses. Its pioneering therapies to treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has 10 products in the market, 3 new drug applications under the NMPA review, 4 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials and 20 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare leaders, including Eli Lilly, Roche, Sanofi, Adimab, Incyte and MD Anderson Cancer Center.