Spyre says bowel disease drug cuts inflammation in mid-stage trial

June 15 (Reuters) – Spyre Therapeutics said on Monday its experimental bowel disease drug met the main goal of significantly reducing disease severity in a mid-stage trial.

Here are some details:

• The company is testing the drug, SPY002, in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis that causes long-lasting ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract.

• The drug significantly reduced disease severity as measured by a microscopic scoring system that assesses inflammation and tissue damage in the colon — cutting scores by 10.7 points after 12 weeks of treatment, the company said.

• Secondary results showed 33% of patients achieved clinical remission, while 42% showed improvement on endoscopy, meaning the colon looked less inflamed when examined with a camera.

• SPY002 is an experimental antibody designed to last longer in the body and target TL1A, a protein that drives inflammation and tissue damage in inflammatory bowel disease.

• The study involved patients who had long-standing disease, with an average duration of about seven years, and more than a third had previously received advanced treatments.

• SPY002 was well tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with other drugs targeting TL1A, Spyre added.

• The most common side effects were joint pain, high blood pressure, nausea, ulcerative colitis flare-ups, and viral respiratory infections.

• The trial is a two-part mid-stage study testing three experimental drugs – SPY001, SPY002 and SPY003 – alone and in combinations in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru)