SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lassen Therapeutics, a biotech company developing breakthrough antibody therapeutics as potential treatments for immuno-fibrotic diseases and oncology, today announced the initiation of dosing in a Phase 1 study of LASN01, a novel interleukin-11 (IL-11) receptor-blocking antibody. The Phase 1 single and multiple ascending dose study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetics of LASN01 in healthy volunteers.

“The initiation of this trial is an important milestone for Lassen and continues our progress towards developing a new treatment option for patients with excessive fibrosis,” said Puneet Arora, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Lassen. “IL-11 plays a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of chronic fibrotic responses and as a result, blocking this pathway represents a promising approach for multiple diseases characterized by unchecked fibrosis. We believe LASN01 has best-in-class potential to block IL-11 signaling and reduce fibrosis.”

The initiation of this Phase 1 trial and the LASN01 clinical program is based in part on pre-clinical data reported at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Annual Meeting 2022. The data presented at ATS demonstrated potent blockade of IL-11-stimulated signaling by LASN01 and inhibition of TGF-β-stimulated collagen expression by patient-derived idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) fibroblasts. In ex vivo assays using human lung tissue, LASN01 inhibited TGF-β-stimulated production of the fibrotic markers procollagen type I and tissue inhibitor of metallopeptidase 1 (TIMP1), and reduced collagen neo-epitope release from slices of diseased IPF lung tissue. Inhibition of IL-11 signaling also showed a significant anti-fibrotic effect in the lung and skin in animal models of fibrosis.

More information on the Phase 1 study (NCT05331300) is available at clinicaltrials.gov.

About Lassen Therapeutics

Lassen Therapeutics develops breakthrough antibodies as potential treatments for immuno-fibrotic diseases and oncology. The company’s lead candidate is LASN01, a best-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting IL-11 receptor (IL-11R). IL-11, a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, is a central mediator of fibrosis and blocking its activity has the potential to be safer than, and additive to, other anti-fibrotic therapeutic approaches. IL-11 is also an important effector of tumor microenvironment organization, playing a key role as a mediator between cancer and stromal cells. The company is also developing a novel immuno-oncology therapeutic targeting interleukin-18 binding protein (IL-18BP), a checkpoint on IL-18 activity. Our antibodies inhibit the checkpoint activity of IL-18BP to allow IL-18 to stimulate multiple immune cell populations including enhancement of NK and T cell mediated immune responses to tumors. The program is at lead optimization stage.

For more information, please visit www.lassentherapeutics.com.

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