ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Expands Collaboration With Zenyaku to Study Eblasakimab's Unique Effects

ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on immunology, has announced a new research collaboration with Zenyaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Zenyaku). This partnership aims to explore the differentiation of eblasakimab’s mechanism of action compared to other biologic therapies for atopic dermatitis (AD), specifically dupilumab and lebrikizumab. Eblasakimab, a potential first-in-class monoclonal antibody, targets the IL-13 receptor, a key pathway in allergic inflammatory diseases.

Previous studies have indicated that blocking the IL-13 receptor with eblasakimab may be more effective at downregulating inflammatory markers than blocking the IL-4 receptor, which is the target of dupilumab. This suggests that eblasakimab could potentially offer more efficient blockade of Type 2 receptor signaling, which is significant for AD treatment. The initial phase of the collaboration will delve into receptor biology and kinetics to understand the cellular and molecular underpinnings of eblasakimab's distinct mechanism. This work will be funded by Zenyaku.

The new collaboration builds upon a commercial agreement signed by ASLAN and Zenyaku in June 2023 for the development and commercialization of eblasakimab in Japan. The upcoming studies will investigate the biology of the IL-13 and IL-4 receptors, examining how these biologics affect each receptor subunit. The research aims to shed light on the differentiated receptor biology of targeting IL-13R versus IL-4R, potentially explaining the prolonged inhibition of disease severity biomarkers observed after eblasakimab treatment in earlier clinical trials.

Kazuhiko Haruta, Head of R&D Center at Zenyaku Kogyo, expressed enthusiasm for the expanded collaboration, emphasizing the potential of eblasakimab to become an important new treatment for AD patients. Haruta highlighted ASLAN's strong translational and clinical data, which suggest that eblasakimab's unique mechanism of action could offer patients a new and effective treatment option.

Dr. Carl Firth, Chief Executive Officer of ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, echoed this sentiment, noting that interim data from the TREK-DX trial suggest eblasakimab's potential effectiveness in AD patients who have not responded adequately to dupilumab. This collaboration aims to deepen the understanding of why some patients may respond better to eblasakimab than to other biologics.

Eblasakimab operates by specifically blocking the Type 2 receptor, thus preventing signaling through interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 13 (IL-13), which are key drivers of inflammation in AD and Type 2-driven chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ASLAN has previously announced positive results from the Phase 2b TREK-AD study, which evaluated eblasakimab in moderate-to-severe biologic-naïve AD patients. Currently, the TREK-DX Phase 2 trial is investigating eblasakimab in dupilumab-experienced moderate-to-severe AD patients, with topline data expected by the end of 2024.

Beyond eblasakimab, ASLAN is also developing farudodstat, an oral inhibitor targeting the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), as a potential treatment for alopecia areata (AA). This treatment is currently in a Phase 2a proof-of-concept trial, with interim results anticipated in the third quarter of 2024.

ASLAN Pharmaceuticals operates teams in San Mateo, California, and Singapore, further establishing itself as a leader in the development of innovative immunological therapies aimed at transforming patient outcomes.