GRI Bio Secures Korea Patent for NKT Cell Modulators

GRI Bio, Inc., a biotechnological enterprise focused on pioneering treatments for inflammatory, fibrotic, and autoimmune diseases, has recently secured a significant patent from the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Patent No. 10-2665487, titled "Prevention and Treatment of Inflammatory Conditions," covers critical claims regarding the modulation of type 1 and type 2 invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells for preventing and treating inflammatory conditions. The patent delineates the use of a Retinoic Acid Receptor (RAR) agonist that inhibits iNKT cells, aiming at the prevention and treatment of inflammatory, fibrotic, and autoimmune diseases.

Marc Hertz, PhD, the CEO of GRI Bio, expressed satisfaction with the acquisition of the Korean patent, seeing it as a valuable addition to the company's intellectual property portfolio. Hertz emphasized the company's commitment to advancing clinical development programs, particularly highlighting the anticipation for interim data from their leading program, GRI-0621, expected in the third quarter of the year.

GRI Bio's primary focus is on its lead candidate, GRI-0621, currently in a Phase 2a clinical trial. This trial is randomized, double-blind, multi-center, placebo-controlled, and features a parallel-design with two arms. GRI-0621 is a small molecule RAR-βɣ dual agonist that works by inhibiting the activity of human iNKT cells. The trial is investigating the efficacy of GRI-0621 in treating Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), a rare and chronic progressive disease characterized by abnormal lung scarring that hampers oxygen transfer to the bloodstream. The study's topline results are projected to be available by the fourth quarter of 2024.

GRI Bio is dedicated to transforming the therapeutic landscape for inflammatory, fibrotic, and autoimmune diseases through its innovative approach that targets the activity of NKT cells. These cells are pivotal as they function as a critical bridge between the innate and adaptive immune responses and play a crucial role in driving the injury, inflammation, and fibrosis observed in various diseases. The company’s therapies are designed to disrupt these pathological processes early in the inflammatory cascade, aiming to restore immune system homeostasis.

The company maintains a robust pipeline beyond GRI-0621. It includes the development of type 2 NKT agonists for treating systemic lupus erythematosus. Additionally, GRI Bio boasts a proprietary library of over 500 compounds, enabling a diverse and expanding pipeline of potential therapies.

GRI Bio's lead program, GRI-0621, represents a novel oral therapeutic approach for IPF, a disease with significant unmet medical needs. By targeting iNKT cells, GRI Bio aims to offer a new avenue of treatment that could significantly alter the disease's progression and improve patient outcomes.

In summary, GRI Bio is making strides in the biopharmaceutical sector with its innovative treatments focused on modulating NKT cells to combat inflammatory, fibrotic, and autoimmune diseases. The recent patent grant in Korea is a testament to the company's ongoing efforts to secure a strong global patent estate, essential for advancing their promising therapeutic pipeline. With clinical trials underway and a substantial library of proprietary compounds, GRI Bio is well-positioned to make significant contributions to the field of biomedicine.