LYON, France, and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amolyt Pharma, a global company specialized in developing therapeutic peptides for rare endocrine and related diseases, and PeptiDream Inc., a public Kanagawa, Japan-based biopharmaceutical company (“PeptiDream”)(Tokyo: 4587), today announced that Amolyt Pharma has exercised its option to globally license a portfolio of macrocyclic peptide growth hormone receptor antagonists (GHRA) under the terms of its research collaboration agreement with PeptiDream announced in December 2020. The identified, optimized drug candidate, AZP-3813, is being developed as a potential treatment for acromegaly to be used in combination with somatostatin analogues (SSAs) for patients who do not adequately respond to SSAs alone.
“The addition of acromegaly as a target indication for our company is a strategic fit with our existing pipeline as we build a portfolio of therapeutic peptides to address unmet medical needs in rare endocrine and related diseases,” stated Thierry Abribat, Ph.D., founder and chief executive officer of Amolyt Pharma. “Without effective treatment, acromegaly can lead to a significant number of serious medical complications, and it is estimated that over 60% of patients still have uncontrolled insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels despite the use of current treatments, including SSAs. Through our collaboration with PeptiDream, we have evaluated several optimized macrocyclic peptide GHRAs, and we have selected AZP-3813 as our lead product candidate. We anticipate developing AZP-3813 as a potential next-generation GHRA therapeutic to provide greater efficacy to a broader range of patients with acromegaly. We are already working to advance this candidate through IND-enabling studies with the goal of initiating the first clinical trial by the end of 2022.”
Patrick C. Reid, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of PeptiDream, added, “We are very pleased to have identified an optimized drug candidate for further development in acromegaly through our research collaboration with Amolyt Pharma. With their peptide development capabilities, we believe Amolyt Pharma is well-suited to develop this therapeutic and to bring a much-needed new treatment option to acromegaly patients. We look forward to supporting the Amolyt Pharma team in this process and to continuing this productive partnership between our companies.”
About AcromegalyAcromegaly is a rare chronic endocrine disorder that is typically caused by an adenoma (benign tumor) of the pituitary gland and characterized by abnormally high levels of growth hormone (GH), secreted by the pituitary gland, which leads to excess production of IGF-1. Common features in patients with acromegaly include enlargement of the hands, feet and jaw. Medical complications include cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathy that can potentially lead to heart failure, impaired glucose tolerance with subsequent development of diabetes, hypogonadism, bone and joint disease, cerebrovascular events, sleep apnea and impaired respiratory function. The mean age of diagnosis is 40 to 45 years, but acromegaly is often diagnosed 4 to 10 years after onset due to its slow progression. It is estimated that there are 26,000 acromegaly patients in the United States and an additional 35,000 patients in the European Union.
About Amolyt PharmaAmolyt Pharma, a clinical stage biotechnology company, is building on its team’s established expertise in therapeutic peptides to deliver life-changing treatments to patients suffering from rare endocrine and related diseases. Its portfolio includes AZP-3601, a long-acting PTH analog as a potential treatment of hypoparathyroidism, AZP-3813, a macrocyclic peptide growth hormone receptor antagonist for the potential treatment of acromegaly, and AZP-3404, which is undergoing indication selection work. Amolyt Pharma aims to further expand and develop its portfolio by leveraging its global network in the field of endocrinology and with support from a strong syndicate of international investors. To learn more, visit or follow us on Twitter at @AmolytPharma.
About PeptiDreamPeptiDream Inc. is a public (TSE: 4587) biopharmaceutical company founded in 2006 employing its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS), a state-of-the-art highly versatile discovery platform which enables the production of highly diverse (trillions) non-standard peptide libraries with high efficiency, for the identification of highly potent and selective hit candidates, which then can be developed into peptide-based, small molecule-based or peptide-drug conjugate therapeutics. PeptiDream aspires to be a world leader in drug discovery and development to address unmet medical needs and improve the quality of life of patients worldwide. For further information, please visit .
At Amolyt:
Media: Cherilyn Cecchini, M.D. LifeSci Communications ccecchini@lifescicomms.com +1.646.876.5196
Investors:Ashley RobinsonLifeSci Advisors, LLCarr@lifesciadvisors.com+1.617.430.7577
At PeptiDream:
Investors and Media: Yuko Okimoto, Ph.D. IR & Public Affairs y-okimoto@peptidream.com