Full Press Release Details
WALTHAM, Mass., May 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upstream Bio, Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on the development of verekitug, a potential first-in-class antagonist of the Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) receptor that may deliver best-in-class efficacy for people with severe asthma and related diseases, today announced an upcoming presentation featuring clinical data from its dose-ranging study of verekitug (UPB-101) in adults with asthma, at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference in San Diego, CA on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 8:15 A.M. PT.
Presentation details:
Presentation Title: A Multiple Ascending Dose Study with Verekitug, a Novel Antibody to the Human Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Receptor, in Adults with Asthma
Presenting Author: Dave Singh, M.D.
Session: D21 - TERMINATOR: CONTROL OF AIRWAY INFLAMMATION AND IMMUNE RESPONSE IN ASTHMA Poster Discussion Session
Presentation Date and Time: Wednesday, May 22, 2024 8:15 A.M. - 10:15 A.M. PT
About TSLP and TSLPR Blockade
Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a cytokine that is a key driver of the inflammatory response in major allergic and inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, where disruption of TSLP signaling has been clinically validated as an effective therapeutic strategy.
TSLP activation is one of the first events in the inflammatory cascade stimulated by allergens, viruses and other triggers, initiating the activation of downstream targets such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17 and IgE. Because TSLP is a target upstream in the inflammatory cascade, blocking the TSLP receptor (TSLPR) presents an opportunity for a single treatment to impact the drivers of multiple pathological inflammatory processes across a broad set of diseases.
Verekitug is a novel recombinant fully human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds to the TSLPR and inhibits proinflammatory signaling initiated by TSLP. Verekitug is currently being evaluated in two Phase 2 clinical trials, the VALIANT trial in patients with severe asthma (NCT06196879) and the VIBRANT trial in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) (NCT06164704). In preclinical studies, verekitug demonstrated high occupancy of the TSLP receptor and potent inhibition of TSLP signaling. Additionally, verekitug inhibited cytokine production from both CD4+ T cells and ILC2 cells and completely suppressed skin allergic reactions in a non-human primate model, suggesting that it may be effective against multiple types of inflammation.
Three clinical trials have been completed for verekitug, including a Phase 1 single-ascending dose (SAD) clinical trial and a Phase 1b multiple-ascending dose (MAD) clinical trial. In these trials, verekitug was well tolerated, had no clinically meaningful immunogenicity, and showed a predictable and consistent pharmacokinetic profile and high subcutaneous bioavailability.
The focus of Upstream Bio is to maximize the potential of verekitug as a potential first-in-class antagonist of the TSLP receptor that has the potential to deliver best-in-class efficacy for people with severe asthma, CRSwNP and other related diseases. Beyond these initial indications, Upstream Bio believes verekitug has broad potential in other inflammatory diseases, and it intends to leverage verekitug’s differentiated attributes to develop it as a potential therapy for diseases where TSLP signaling has been shown to play a significant role.