Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, in partnership with Biolojic Design, has initiated investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies for BD9, a multibody designed to target both TSLP and IL-13.
This development is part of Teva’s strategy to explore new treatments for TH2-driven inflammatory conditions, including atopic dermatitis and asthma.
Through an exclusive licensing agreement, Teva is tasked with the global development of BD9, a move that aligns with its broader efforts to address unmet medical needs in inflammatory diseases.
The start of IND-enabling studies represents a strategic milestone for Teva as it seeks to advance BD9 towards clinical trials, potentially offering solutions for patients whose current treatment options are limited.
Teva global R&D executive vice president and chief medical officer Eric Hughes said: “With the initiation of IND-enabling studies we take a vital step toward delivering innovative treatments to patients who need them most. This pre-clinical progress underscores Teva’s commitment to accelerating innovation and to improving health outcomes and access to underserved patient populations.”
By targeting and inhibiting two primary drivers of TH2-driven inflammation, BD9 aims to enhance treatment outcomes for patients with conditions like atopic dermatitis and asthma, where existing therapies do not fully meet patient needs.
Biolojic Design, contributing its expertise in computational biology and artificial intelligence (AI), stands to gain milestone payments based on the achievement of predefined pre-clinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial targets.
Biolojic Design CEO and founder Yanay Ofran said: “Biolojic’s next generation antibody platform has now produced four antibodies that are in, or nearing, the clinic.
“From the clinical data we have recently seen, it is already clear that our precision antibodies have distinct advantages over traditional antibodies, extracting better efficacy and safety from complex biological targets.”
Separately, Teva has announced a regulatory development with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting fast track designation to TEV-53408. The asset is an investigational anti-IL-15 antibody intended for the treatment of celiac disease in individuals adhering to a gluten-free diet.
Currently under evaluation in a Phase 2a trial, TEV-53408 is designed to inhibit interleukin-15 activity, which has potential implications for preventing intestinal damage associated with celiac disease.
