Ethris: ETH47ForPrevention Of Respiratory Viral Illnesses In Asthmatics Shows Promising Preliminary Phase 1 Results

1. ETH47, a nasally administered mRNA drug candidate was safe,well-tolerated by healthy participants, and did not result in any clinically relevant adverse events.
2. ETH47 demonstrated good target engagement and did not result in systemic distribution.

The Latest

In a randomized, double-blinded, phase 1 clinical trial funded by Ethris, researchers studied the safety and tolerability of ETH47in healthy patients. Ethris hopes to investigate ETH47, a nasally administered drug, to prevent respiratory viral illnesses in asthmatics. Preliminary results shared by the company recently demonstrated that ETH47 was safe and well tolerated, and did not result in any clinically appreciable adverse events. The drug was also well localized to its target of action and did not result in systemic distribution. Ethris hopes to share the final results of the study later this year.

Physician’s Perspective

Asthma is a disease of the lungs characterized by airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction. Symptoms include cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. An asthma attack or exacerbation is an acute worsening of these symptoms usually brought on by a trigger. Eighty percent of asthma exacerbations are associated with respiratory viral illnesses. Presently, prevention of infection-triggered asthma exacerbations relies on immunization and early treatment of the infection. Unfortunately, immunizations only exist for a handful of respiratory viral illnesses. For example, the rhinovirus (the virus responsible for the common cold) is the virus most highly associated with asthma exacerbations but does not have a vaccine. In asthmatics, low interferonλ (IFNλ) levels are thought to be implicated in the increased vulnerability to viral infections. WithETH47, Ethris hopes to target this molecular pathway to boost protection against respiratory viral illnesses.

Molecular Target of Therapy

ETH47 is a nasally administered mRNA candidate. It is an mRNA that encodes for the type III interferon λ that acts locally at the site of administration to increase production of IFN-λ3. This boosts innate immunity towards viral infections and can potentially reduce acute asthma exacerbations. ETH47 is also thought to reduce viral replication.

Company History

Ethris is a Germany-based biotechnology company specializing in the research and development of mRNA-based treatment vehicles specifically in the realm of respiratory illnesses. Presently, the company also has 3 mRNA candidates—1 in the preclinical and 2 in the discovery phase—for the treatment of primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Further reading: https://www.ethris.com/news/positive-phase-1-clinical-data-of-eth47/

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