iLeadBMS, a leading biotech company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel drugs for high unmet medical needs, has announced a positive outcome of IL1512, a first-in-class CXCR7 agonist, as a potential therapy for pulmonary fibrotic diseases
DONGTAN, KOREA, May 21, 2024 – iLeadBMS, a leading biotech company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel drugs for high unmet medical needs, has announced a positive outcome of IL1512, a first-in-class CXCR7 agonist, as a potential therapy for pulmonary fibrotic diseases at the American Thoracic Society (ATS 2024) conference held in San Diego from May 17th to 22nd.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare lung disease characterized by progressive fibrosis of lung parenchyma, with a less than 40% survival rate five years after diagnosis. Research And Markets projects the IPF treatment market to reach approximately $6.1 billion (about 8 trillion KRW) by 2030, indicating significant unmet medical needs in this area.
To address these high unmet needs, iLeadBMS has concentrated its research on CXCR7 (C-X-C chemokine receptor 7), a key mediator in signal transduction amplifying fibrosis and inflammation. CXCR7 selectively binds to chemokine ligands CXCL11 and CXCL12, targeting various pathways associated with fibrosis, inflammation, tissue repair, and angiogenesis. IL1512 has exhibited high selectivity for CXCR7 without binding to other chemokine receptors and demonstrated promising pharmacokinetics (DMPK) in mice and rats when orally administered.
In a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model, IL1512 showed dose-dependent improvements in the Ashcroft score, confirming its potentially superior anti-fibrotic efficacy compared to the standard therapy. Additionally, IL1512 displayed a favorable safety profile evident by the absence of weight loss associated with drug administration. Based on these results, it is anticipated that IL1512 will have a better safety and efficacy profile when compared to currently available standard treatments.
Preclinical studies for the selected CXCR7 agonist candidate have been initiated and GLP toxicity studies are planned for the second half of this year. The Company’s strategy aims to develop therapies with minimal side effects while providing broad anti-fibrotic effects, covering multiple organs beyond just the lungs. It is anticipated that expedited regulatory pathways such as Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) will be considered for the fibrosis program and concurrently, CXCR7 agonists with blood-brain barrier penetration potential, are also being explored for neurological disorders.
About iLeadBMS
Established in 2020, iLeadBMS specializes in the discovery and development of novel drugs, with an R&D pipeline targeting fibrotic diseases, protease inhibitors, solid tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases. For more information on iLeadBMS, please visit: www.ileadbms.com.