PROMETIC PRESENTS NEW PBI-4050 CLINICAL DATA FROM ONGOING ALSTRÖM SYNDROME PHASE 2 TRIAL
New clinical data presented at the International Liver Congress TM 2018
- PBI-4050 decreased insulin resistance in the liver
- Fat biopsies further demonstrate PBI-4050 clinical activity
- Clinical activity measured in the heart, liver, kidney and fat tissue in patients treated with PBI-4050 over an average of 52 weeks
'LAVAL, QUEBEC, CANADA – April 12, 2018 – Prometic Life Sciences Inc. (TSX: PLI) (OTCQX: PFSCF) (Prometic) announced today positive clinical activity observed in Alström syndrome (AS) patients treated with PBI-4050 in the ongoing Phase 2 open label clinical trial being conducted in the UK. The new data were presented today at The International Liver Congress™ 2018, the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) in Paris.
The clinical study, which has enrolled 12 patients, demonstrated improved liver function and reduced fibrosis in fat tissues as evidenced from fat biopsies in patients treated with PBI-4050. Clinical activity and tolerability of PBI-4050 were sustained with prolonged treatment. The average treatment duration of PBI-4050 for the 12 patients has reached 52 weeks and further anti-fibrotic clinical activity in the heart, liver and fat tissue was observed with longer treatment exposure. Prometic had previously reported positive heart and liver data from this PBI-4050 Phase 2 study on March 28th.
Dr. John Moran, Prometic’s Chief Medical Officer, stated, “In addition to improved FibroScan and MRI measurements in the liver, we now have direct evidence of a significant improvement of liver physiology in these patients. By using a demanding and complex technique called “insulin clamp” we were able to demonstrate that PBI-4050 significantly reduced the liver resistance to insulin. Analysis of data comparing fat biopsies taken at baseline and after 24 weeks of PBI-4050 treatment clearly show a significant clinical improvement. Importantly, PBI-4050’s clinical activity and tolerability have been confirmed over this extended period, with no drug-related serious adverse events.”
“The clinical activity of PBI-4050 has now been confirmed in the liver, the heart, the kidney, and in the fat tissue in the AS patients, stated Pierre Laurin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Prometic. “We look forward to presenting these detailed trial results this summer at meetings scheduled with European and U.S. regulatory authorities to determine the clinical-regulatory pathway for PBI-4050 in Alström syndrome.”
Summary of Fat Biopsies and Liver Data
Dysfunctional adipose tissue involving enlargement of fat cells, is known to increase cardiometabolic risk. In AS patients, fat tissue is characterized with significant enlargement and coalescence of adipocytes forming giant vesicular vacuolation/steatosis. After 24 weeks of treatment with PBI-4050, adipocytes were more distinct, were smaller in size and no coalescence was observed.
Analysis of the biopsies also revealed that dystrophy and homogenized blurred cytoplasm in smooth muscle cells of arteries appeared normal after 24 weeks of treatment with PBI-4050.
A key metabolic effect of insulin is to suppress the production of glucose by the liver (endogenous glucose production (EGP)). Improvement of the liver function in AS patients was measured by the insulin clamp technique which confirmed a significant reduction of EGP and reduction of hepatic liver resistance after 24 weeks of PBI-4050 treatment.
Previous clinical findings from this trial, announced in a press release on March 28, 2018, demonstrated statistically significant reductions in cardiac fibrosis, liver stiffness (as measured by FibroScan) and liver fibrosis measured by MRI. This press release, which includes a detailed review of the data, can be found on the Company’s website (CLICK HERE).
More about Alström syndrome:
Alström syndrome is a rare inherited autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by the onset of obesity in childhood or adolescence, Type 2 diabetes, often with severe insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension and severe multi-organ fibrosis involving the liver, kidney and heart. Alström syndrome is also characterized by a progressive loss of vision and hearing, a form of heart disease that weakens the heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy), and short stature. This disorder can also cause serious or life-threatening medical problems involving the liver, kidneys, bladder, and lungs. The clinical manifestations of Alström syndrome vary in severity, and not all affected individuals have all of the features associated with the disorder.
About PBI-4050
PBI-4050 is an orally active lead drug candidate with excellent safety and efficacy profiles demonstrated in a large number of animal models of fibrosis affecting different organs, including the lung, liver, heart, kidney, and pancreas. The effects of PBI-4050 demonstrated in animal models have been replicated in Phase 2 studies in IPF, in metabolic syndrome with type 2 diabetes and in Alström syndrome. PBI-4050 is entering pivotal placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of IPF.'
Jim |
