Transpire Bio has licensed an inhaled PDE4 inhibitor from China’s Intragrand Pharma as a potential treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), investigating a target already being pursued by Boehringer Ingelheim.
As part of the deal, for which the financial details weren’t disclosed, Florida-based Transpire has secured the ex-China rights to the drug, called lenamilast or ITG-1052.
Targeting PDE4 drives anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects, and Boehringer has been working on its own PDE4 inhibitor in the form of nerandomilast, which has already scored a couple of phase 3 wins in IPF and a related lung disease. However, unlike inhaled lenamilast, Boehringer’s candidate can be taken orally.
Further back in development, Palisade Bio has pointed to preclinical data suggesting its own oral PDE4 inhibitor PALI-2108 could treat inflammatory bowel disease.
“Utilizing business development, we are able to augment and complement our robust pipeline of inhaled therapeutics,” Transpire’s CEO Xian-Ming Zeng, Ph.D., said in a June 3 release. “Through this agreement, we aim to utilize our vast expertise in developing inhaled therapeutics to progress ITG-1052 as a best-in-class inhaled treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other indications.”
Lenamilast will join a pipeline headed up by TRB-1 and TRB-2, which are being developed in collaboration with CDMO Recipharm for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“We are pleased to announce the in-license of lenamilast (ITG-1052), our PDE4 inhibitor for respiratory diseases, by Transpire Bio, a company with unparalleled leadership and expertise in the development and commercialization of inhaled therapeutics,” Intragrand’s CEO Joseph Zhu said in this morning’s release.