Enanta Pharmaceuticals to Provide Updates on its Research and Development Programs and 2023 Outlook at the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
January 06 2023 - 07:00AM
Business Wire
- Progresses Phase 2 SPRINT Trial of EDP-235, an Oral, 3CL
Protease Inhibitor for COVID-19, With Data Expected in 1H 2023
- Presents New Preclinical In Vivo Data Demonstrating EDP-235’s
Efficacy and Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission
- Expands Robust COVID-19 Antiviral Portfolio With a New Research
Program Developing SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease Inhibitors
- Introduces New Research Program Targeting Human Metapneumovirus
(hMPV) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) with a Single Agent;
Clinical Candidate Selection Targeted for 4Q 2023
Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENTA), a clinical-stage
biotechnology company dedicated to creating small molecule drugs
for viral infections, today announced that Jay R. Luly, Ph.D.,
Enanta’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will provide an
update across its pipeline of virology programs and plans for 2023
during Enanta’s presentation at the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan
Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
PT.
“Building upon the advancements in both our COVID-19 and RSV
programs during this past year, we enter 2023 poised for success by
expanding our pipeline and executing against several important
milestones to pursue our goal of developing curative therapies for
viral infections,” said Jay R. Luly, President & Chief
Executive Officer at Enanta Pharmaceuticals. “In particular, we are
encouraged that we are on track to announce data in the first half
of 2023 from SPRINT, our ongoing Phase 2 study of EDP-235, an oral,
3CL protease inhibitor specifically designed for the treatment of
COVID-19. We are also excited to present new preclinical in vivo
data demonstrating EDP-235’s robust antiviral treatment effect and
its ability to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in a ferret
model. We are also enthusiastic about expanding our COVID-19
treatment program by developing SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease
(PLpro) inhibitors. We believe that having multiple mechanisms to
treat COVID-19, either alone or in combination, will allow us to
bring best-in-class options to market for a range of patients
suffering from this debilitating and deadly virus. In RSV, we
continue to expect top-line data from the Phase 1 study of EDP-323,
our L-protein inhibitor, in the first half of 2023. Additionally,
we are pleased to build out our respiratory virology treatment
portfolio with the addition of a new program to develop a broader
spectrum antiviral that targets both hMPV and RSV with a single
agent and plan to select a clinical candidate in the fourth quarter
of 2023. Overall, we look to continue to leverage our expertise and
previous successes in virology to deliver on our goal of providing
effective treatments for respiratory infections to all vulnerable
patient populations.”
During the presentation, Dr. Luly will highlight Enanta’s
pipeline program updates and expectations for 2023.
Pipeline Updates
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)
- Enrollment is ongoing in SPRINT (SARS-Cov-2
PRotease INhibitor Treatment), a Phase 2
clinical study of EDP-235, an oral, 3CL protease inhibitor, which
received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). The randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled study is designed to evaluate the safety,
tolerability, and antiviral activity of once-daily doses of EDP-235
compared to placebo. SPRINT will enroll approximately 200
non-hospitalized, symptomatic patients with mild to moderate
COVID-19, who are not at increased risk for developing severe
disease. During the study, patients will receive EDP-235 orally at
a dose of 200 mg or 400 mg or placebo, once daily for five days,
and will be assessed for a further 28 days. The primary objective
of the study includes evaluation of safety and tolerability, and
key secondary objectives include analysis of multiple virology
measures and pharmacokinetics (PK) to guide dose selection for
future trials. Enanta expects to report data from this Phase 2
study in the first half of 2023.
- Enanta today announced new preclinical in vivo data on EDP-235
highlighting the robust antiviral treatment effect and prevention
of COVID-19 transmission in a ferret model. In a study, ferrets
were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and then subsequently received either
EDP-235 or vehicle. Results demonstrated that EDP-235 treatment of
SARS-CoV-2 infected animals resulted in a rapid, robust and
sustained decline in viral replication. To understand the effect of
EDP-235 on transmission, cohorts of infected animals who had been
treated with EDP-235 were co-housed with healthy and untreated
animals and monitored for infection. Results showed that healthy
animals did not contract COVID-19 when co-housed with infected
animals that were treated with EDP-235, whereas the healthy animals
co-housed with vehicle-treated infected animals did contract the
virus. This study continues to support the potential of EDP-235 as
an efficacious therapy for COVID-19, and also demonstrates its
potential to reduce transmission of the virus.
- Enanta also today announced a new research program focused on
the discovery and development of inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 PLpro
for the oral treatment of COVID-19. PLpro is an essential enzyme,
which, along with the 3CL protease (3CLpro, or Mpro), plays an
important role in viral replication and also acts to suppress the
innate immune response. Inhibition of PLpro blocks viral
replication and has the potential to restore the dysregulated
immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. As this mechanism is
distinct from 3CL protease inhibition, it has the potential to be
used alone or in combination with 3CL protease inhibitors such as
EDP-235 or other compounds to provide a range of treatment regimens
for different patient populations suffering from COVID-19.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
- EDP-938, an N-protein inhibitor with Fast Track designation
from the FDA, is being evaluated in a broad clinical development
program in multiple high-risk patient groups, including pediatric
and high-risk adult populations.
- Ongoing studies include RSVHR, a Phase 2b randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled study recently initiated in adults
with acute RSV infection who are at high risk of complications,
including the elderly and/or those with congestive heart failure,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma; RSVPEDs, a
Phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in
hospitalized and non-hospitalized pediatric RSV patients; and
RSVTx, a Phase 2b, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
study in adult hematopoietic cell transplant recipients with acute
RSV infection and symptoms of upper respiratory tract
infection.
- Enanta will continue to monitor RSV infection trends during the
Northern Hemisphere season to evaluate the impact on trial
enrollment and timing for data readouts in its ongoing RSV
studies.
- Enanta is also currently evaluating EDP-323, a novel, oral,
direct-acting antiviral selectively targeting the RSV L-protein,
for the treatment of RSV, in a Phase 1 study. This double-blind,
placebo-controlled, first-in-human study will enroll approximately
80 healthy subjects to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and PK of
EDP-323. Enanta expects to report data from this Phase 1 study in
the first half of 2023.
- EDP-323 has shown sub-nanomolar potency against RSV-A and RSV-B
in vitro and is not expected to have cross-resistance to other
classes of inhibitors. EDP-323 could be used as a monotherapy or in
combination with other RSV mechanisms, such as EDP-938, to
potentially broaden the addressable patient populations or the
treatment window.
Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV)/RSV
- Enanta today announced a new research program with broader
spectrum antiviral activity, targeting hMPV and RSV with a single
agent, which Enanta refers to as a dual-inhibitor. In preclinical
studies, these dual-inhibitors maintained activity against multiple
genotypes and strains of hMPV and RSV in a range of cell types.
Enanta expects to select a clinical dual hMPV/RSV candidate in the
fourth quarter of 2023.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
- Enanta remains committed to developing a cure for HBV patients
and is currently focused on identifying additional compounds with
different mechanisms of action to combine with EDP-514, its potent
core inhibitor, and a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
EDP-514, which received Fast Track designation from the FDA, has
displayed a good safety profile and robust antiviral activity in
multiple HBV patient populations, with significant declines in HBV
DNA among the best published to date for core inhibitors.
Webcast Information Enanta’s presentation will take place
on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. PT. A live webcast of the
presentation will be accessible by visiting the “Events and
Presentations” section on the “Investors” page of Enanta’s website
at www.enanta.com. A replay of the webcast will be available
following the presentation and will be archived for approximately
60 days.
About Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Enanta is using its
robust, chemistry-driven approach and drug discovery capabilities
to become a leader in the discovery and development of small
molecule drugs for the treatment of viral infections. Enanta’s
research and development programs include clinical candidates in
development for the following disease targets: respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV), SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and hepatitis B virus
(HBV). Enanta is also conducting research in human metapneumovirus
(hMPV).
Enanta’s research and development activities are funded by
royalties from hepatitis C virus (HCV) products developed under its
collaboration with AbbVie. Glecaprevir, a protease inhibitor
discovered by Enanta, is part of one of the leading treatment
regimens for curing chronic HCV infection and is sold by AbbVie in
numerous countries under the tradenames MAVYRET® (U.S.) and
MAVIRET® (ex-U.S.) (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir). Please visit
www.enanta.com for more information.
Forward Looking Statements This press release contains
forward-looking statements, including statements with respect to
the prospects for advancement of Enanta’s clinical programs in RSV,
SARS-CoV-2 and HBV and its preclinical program in hMPV. Statements
that are not historical facts are based on management’s current
expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about Enanta’s
business and the industry in which it operates and management’s
beliefs and assumptions. The statements contained in this release
are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks,
uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict.
Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from
what is expressed in such forward-looking statements. Important
factors and risks that may affect actual results include: the
impact of development, regulatory and marketing efforts of others
with respect to vaccines and competitive treatments for RSV,
SARS-CoV-2, HBV and hMPV; the discovery and development risks of
Enanta’s programs in RSV, SARS-CoV-2, HBV and hMPV; the competitive
impact of development, regulatory and marketing efforts of others
in those disease areas; any continuing impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on business operations and clinical trials; Enanta’s lack
of clinical development experience; Enanta’s need to attract and
retain senior management and key research and development
personnel; Enanta’s need to obtain and maintain patent protection
for its product candidates and avoid potential infringement of the
intellectual property rights of others; and other risk factors
described or referred to in “Risk Factors” in Enanta’s Form 10-Q
for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2022, and any other periodic
reports filed more recently with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Enanta cautions investors not to place undue reliance
on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These
statements speak only as of the date of this release, and Enanta
undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements,
except as may be required by law.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230106005040/en/
Media and Investor: Jennifer Viera 617-744-3848
jviera@enanta.com
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