ATyr Pharma, Inc. Recognizes Collaboration Between its Pangu BioPharma and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for Pioneering Work Leading to New Investigational Therapeutic for Lung Diseasex
January 17, 2019 at 02:30 am IST
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aTyr Pharma, Inc. recognized the collaboration between its Hong Kong subsidiary, Pangu BioPharma (Pangu), and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) for contributions leading to the discovery of aTyr's lead clinical candidate, ATYR1923, which is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1b/2a study in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. HKUST researchers with support from Pangu were instrumental in discovering a splice variant of histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HARS) that liberates the smaller, active immuno-modulatory (iMod) domain from the full-length tRNA synthetase and has been shown to modulate the immune system. ATYR1923 is a fusion protein comprised of the iMod domain fused to the FC region of a human antibody. To date, researchers at HKUST have discovered over 200 novel compositions that are covered in issued patents and have published six articles detailing their research in peer-reviewed scientific journals. aTyr is developing ATYR1923 as a potential therapeutic for patients with interstitial lung diseases. ATYR1923, a fusion protein comprised of the immuno-modulatory domain of histidyl tRNA synthetase (HARS) fused to the FC region of a human antibody, is a selective modulator of Neuropilin-2 that downregulates the innate and adaptive immune response in inflammatory disease states. aTyr initiated a proof-of-concept Phase 1b/2a trial evaluating ATYR1923 in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis in the fourth quarter of 2018. This Phase 1b/2a study is a multiple-ascending dose, placebo-controlled, first-in-patient study of ATYR1923 that has been designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, steroid sparing effect, immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics (PK) profile of multiple doses of ATYR1923. For the Phase 1b/2a trial, aTyr is collaborating with the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR), the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for sarcoidosis and improving care for sarcoidosis patients. Under the terms of the collaboration, FSR will assist with clinical trial site initiation and patient enrollment.
aTyr Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company. The Company is leveraging intelligence to translate tRNA synthetase biology into new therapies for fibrosis and inflammation. Its lead therapeutic candidate is efzofitimod, a biologic immunomodulator in clinical development for the treatment of interstitial lung disease (ILD), a group of immune-mediated disorders that can cause inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring, of the lungs. Efzofitimod is a tRNA synthetase derived therapy that selectively modulates activated myeloid cells through neuropilin-2 (NRP2) to resolve aberrant inflammation without immune suppression and prevent the progression of fibrosis. ATYR0101 is a fusion protein derived from a domain of aspartyl-tRNA synthetase (DARS). ATYR0101 binds directly to latent-transforming growth factor beta-binding protein 1 (LTBP1), which regulates transforming growth factor beta (TGFb). Its ATYR0750 is a fusion protein derived from a domain of alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS).
ATyr Pharma, Inc. Recognizes Collaboration Between its Pangu BioPharma and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for Pioneering Work Leading to New Investigational Therapeutic for Lung Diseasex
ATYR PHARMA, INC. 
