Protagonist Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PTGX) has announced a $25 million milestone payment from its partnership with Janssen Biotech Inc. after dossing the third subject in the Phase 2b FRONTIER 1 clinical study of PN-235.
Phase 2 study is a massive moment in development o PN-235
CEO and President Dinesh Patel said, “The start of this Phase 2b study in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis marks an exciting moment along the development pathway for this promising drug candidate, discovered through Protagonist’s proprietary technology platform. Advancing PN-235 aligns with our shared goal with Janssen to develop new therapies with transformational potential for patients in need.”
FRONTIER 1 is a multi-site, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging Phase 2b study to assess the efficacy and safety of PN-235 in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treatment. This study began on February 3, 2022, and is anticipated to register 240 people.
Based on the Protagonist’s intellectual property, the Company has given Janssen an exclusive licensing right to research, advance, market, and sell oral IL-23 receptor antagonists. PN-235, discovered by Protagonist discovered PN-235 and was developed in collaboration with Janssen, and currently, it is the focus of current development efforts.
Protagonist qualifies for up to $850 million in development-associated milestone payments, on top of the $112.5 million so far earned. Janssen will carry out all prospective clinical studies, including Phase 2 and 3 trials, under the terms of the cooperation. Janssen will bear the financial burden of such studies.
Protagonists have various peptide-based products under development
The Company is a biopharmaceutical firm with various peptide-based new chemical products that are various clinical development stages derived from the Company’s novel tech platform. Rusfertide, an experimental drug, intravenous hepcidin mimetic presently in the REVIVE Phase II proof-of-concept clinical study for polycythemia vera (PV), the PACIFIC Phase 2 Trial in PV participants with high hematocrit tiers, and the recently completed Phase 2a trial for hereditary hemochromatosis are all in Protagonist’s pipeline programs.
VERIFY, a single global third Phase randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluating the safety and efficacy of a once-weekly, subcutaneous injection self-administered dose of Eastertide, is currently underway.
