Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELOX), a leader in ribosomal
RNA-targeted genetic therapies for rare diseases, today announced
it has expanded the ELX-02 development program to include the
treatment of Alport syndrome, a rare kidney disease. Clinical
testing of ELX-02 in Alport syndrome is expected to initiate in the
second half of 2022, with topline results expected in the first
half of 2023.
Alport syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by kidney
disease with high levels of proteinuria, hearing loss and eye
abnormalities caused by mutations in the genes (COL4A3, COL4A4, and
COL4A5) needed for production of type 4 collagen. Approximately 6%
to 7% of Alport syndrome patients, or approximately 9,400 to 12,750
individuals, are estimated to have nonsense mutations. These
patients have significantly worse clinical outcomes than other
Alport patients and have no disease modifying treatment
options.
Eloxx believes there is a strong rationale to pursue clinical
development of ELX-02 in Alport syndrome, based on encouraging
preclinical results demonstrating potentially therapeutic levels of
readthrough, ability to deliver high drug concentrations in the
kidney relative to plasma at clinically tolerable dose levels, and
the clinical readthrough results seen in our Phase 2 cystic
fibrosis trial.
“We are beginning to fully capture the potential of ELX-02 as a
novel readthrough agent in rare diseases with significant need with
the addition of a new program in Alport syndrome,” said Sumit
Aggarwal, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eloxx.
"For the global patient community, this study represents a
groundbreaking and hopeful step as the first to explore a potential
curative therapy in a specific genetic mutation of our rare
disease,” notes Lisa Bonebrake, Executive Director of the U.S.
based patient support group, Alport Syndrome Foundation.
ELX-02 is preferentially taken up in the kidney, resulting in an
expected greater than 50-fold exposure in the kidneys compared to
plasma. In recently published preclinical studies, ELX-02 has
demonstrated readthrough in COL4A5 mutations, which represent 85%
of nonsense mutations in this population. We believe that the
results of the treatment of Class 1 CF patients with ELX-02
monotherapy and its high local kidney drug levels make it well
suited to potentially deliver transformative results in these
patients.
Eloxx intends to initiate a proof-of-concept clinical trial in
up to eight Alport syndrome patients with nonsense mutations in the
second half of 2022. Patients will be dosed for two months with a
three month follow-up. Trial primary endpoints will include safety,
while secondary endpoints will include reduction in proteinuria and
induction of COL4A5 protein expression in the kidney. Topline
results are expected in the first half of 2023.
About nonsense mutations
Nonsense mutations cause a premature stop codon in the mRNA
resulting in less than full length or los of function proteins.
These remain highly underserved with no approved disease modifying
therapies. An estimated 10-12% patients across over 8,000 inherited
genetic rare diseases harbor nonsense mutations in one or both
alleles harboring nonsense mutations.
About Eloxx Pharmaceuticals
Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is engaged in the science of
ribosome modulation, leveraging its innovative
TURBO-ZM™ chemistry technology platform in an effort to
develop novel Ribosome Modulating Agents (RMAs) and its library of
Eukaryotic Ribosome Selective Glycosides (ERSGs). Eloxx’s lead
investigational product candidate, ELX-02, is a small molecule drug
candidate designed to restore production of full-length functional
proteins. ELX-02 is in clinical development, focusing on cystic
fibrosis (US Trial NCT04135495, EU/IL Trial NCT04126473). Eloxx
also has preclinical programs focused on select rare diseases,
including inherited diseases, cancer caused by nonsense mutations,
kidney diseases, including autosomal dominant polycystic kidney
disease, as well as rare ocular genetic disorders.
For more information, please visit www.eloxxpharma.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. All statements other than statements of present and
historical facts contained in this press release, including without
limitation, statements regarding the expected timing of trials and
results from clinical studies of our product candidates and the
potential of our product candidate to treat nonsense mutations are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be
identified by the words “aim,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “should,”
“expect,” “explore,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,”
“target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,”
“predict,” “potential,” “seeks,” or “continue” or the negative of
these terms similar expressions, although not all forward-looking
statements contain these words.
Forward-looking statements are based on management's current
plans, estimates, assumptions and projections based on information
currently available to us. Forward-looking statements are subject
to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and
actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those
expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to
various important factors, including, but not limited to: our
ability to progress any product candidates in preclinical or
clinical trials; the uncertainty of clinical trial results and the
fact that positive results from preclinical studies are not always
indicative of positive clinical results; the scope, rate and
progress of our preclinical studies and clinical trials and other
research and development activities; the competition for patient
enrollment from drug candidates in development; the impact of the
global COVID-19 pandemic on our clinical trials, operations,
vendors, suppliers, and employees; our ability to obtain the
capital necessary to fund our operations; the cost of filing,
prosecuting, defending and enforcing any patent claims and other
intellectual property rights; our ability to obtain financial in
the future through product licensing, public or private equity or
debt financing or otherwise; general business conditions,
regulatory environment, competition and market for our products;
and business ability and judgment of personnel, and the
availability of qualified personnel and other important factors
discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, as any such
factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with
the SEC, accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the
“Financials & Filings” page of our website at
https://investors.eloxxpharma.com/financials-filings.
All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this
press release and, except as required by applicable law, we have no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements
contained herein, whether as a result of any new information,
future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
Contact
InvestorsJohn
Woolfordjohn.woolford@westwicke.com443.213.0506
MediaLaureen Cassidylaureen@outcomescg.com
Source: Eloxx Pharmaceuticals
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