Galapagos and Abbvie Present Encouraging CF Discovery at #NACFC
Mechelen, Belgium-based biotech company Galapagos NV is presenting promising research findings at this year’s North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC), which is currently underway in Phoenix, Arizona. The clinical-stage company, which specializes in the discovery and development of small molecule medicines with novel modes of action to treat diseases like cystic fibrosis (CF), is presenting data from recent studies that were conducted in collaboration with Abbvie.
Galapagos will host four panels at the conference focused on investigational treatments for CF patients. The novel potentiator GLPG1837, a drug candidate to treat the Class III CF mutation, has demonstrated that it is safe and well-tolerated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I study conducted over a range of single and multiple doses in healthy human volunteers in Belgium. The research also revealed favorable drug-like properties in GLPG1837 as well as no significant adverse events.
Galapagos announced during the conference that the encouraging results support the initiation of its phase II study in class III mutation patients, which is planned to begin at the end of the year. In addition, the company expects to start studying GLPG1837 in combination with other Galapagos candidate drugs to evaluate its use as a potential triple combination treatment for people with Class II CF, the mutation group with the largest amount of patients.
During the same day, Galapagos will also present at three other conference panels, during which the impact of potentiators in the fate of CFTR during biogenesis will be discussed, along with insights into the ability of GLPG1837 to rescue the F508del mutation. Other topics include the new tools developed by Galapagos and Abbvie to improve understanding of the mechanism of action of correctors and potentiators in its CF portfolio, as well as the use of a modeling tool to categorize interactions between candidate corrector compounds in the Galapagos/Abbvie CF program.
On Saturday, October 10th, Galapagos will begin the day with a panel titled “Novel Potentiators Augment Efficacy of Translational Readthrough in CFTR Nonsense Mutations,” during which the company will share promising pre-clinical results using its potentiators on Class I (nonsense) CFTR mutations. The poster will take place between 7.30 am and 8.45 am MST, as announced by the company.
RELATED: An Undeniable Hope Part 2: An Accumulation of Steps Led To Orkambi
Galapagos and Abbvie are working together following the signing of a collaboration agreement focused on the development of novel cystic fibrosis treatments. While the phase 1 trial for the GLPG1837 potentiator has been completed, a new phase 1 study for the GLPG2222 corrector is expected to be initiated by the end of the year.
Galapagos and Abbvie presented together at the 38th annual conference of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society held last June in Brussels, Belgium. At the time, a study titled “Development of Trafficking Assays to Evaluate Novel Corrector-Potentiator Combinations” was presented, which revealed new assays that are being developed by both companies to test the effects of corrector molecules in the rescue of CFTR-F508del, as well as information regarding new insights into the influence of each component in these combined “cocktails.”
Following the North America Cystic Fibrosis Conference, the panels will be made available on the website of the company. Galapagos and other presentations can also be followed at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference livestream.
About the Author
