A Phase 2a study of OmniAb-derived IMVT-1401 being carried out by Ligand OmniAb® Partner Immunovant Inc. (NASDAQ:IMVT) has delivered positive topline results. The study, ASCEND MG enrolled 15 patients in a six-week treatment period who were treated with IMVT-1401. The aim was to evaluate its efficacy, tolerability, and safety in patients with moderate-to-severe generalized MG.
The results demonstrated a 3.8-point mean enhancement on the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scale.
Generally, IMVT-1401 was observed to be safe and well-tolerated. Additionally, there were no withdrawals or serious adverse events (SAEs). This was reportedly consistent with the Phase 1 results previously reported.
The Potential of Advancement in IMVT-1401
Ligand Pharmaceuticals has one of the biggest and most varied portfolios in the biotech industry. Some of its approved drugs treat cancer, low blood platelets, fungal infections, and osteoporosis among others. It has onboard various clinical development programs targeting various conditions such as diabetes, muscle wasting, kidney, liver, and cardiovascular diseases.
However, it is also taking another direction to alleviate the pain of about 65,000 people suffering from myasthenia gravis in the United States. John Higgins, the company’s CEO, says, “We are proud of the ongoing work by Immunovant and the strong results demonstrated by IMVT-1401… Importantly, IMVT-1401 holds the potential to be a significant advancement…”
The Growing OmniAb Partner Base with Important Upcoming Clinical Events
OmniAb consists of five different technologies; OmniRat®, OmniMouse®, OmniFlic®, OmniChicken, and OmniClic chicken. All these are used for producing mono- and bispecific human therapeutic antibodies. The use of patented technology gives them the freedom to produce highly expanded human antibody repertoires. It is a
OmniAb partner base seems to be growing rapidly, perhaps because of the increasing number of late-stage programs. There are also several important regulatory and clinical events coming up. According to Ligand, besides being a key value-driver of its operations, OmniAb is a major antibody discovery platform that is laying the potential for new drugs.
Should it be proved, it will be a big boost to the pharmaceutical industry. Meanwhile, Immunovant has its plans underway to initiate a Phase 3 registration study with IMVT-1401.
