BridgeBio Initiates Dosing in Phase 2 Clinical Trial for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis New Drug Candidate

Bridge Biotherapeutics announced on the 13th that the first patient dosing for the Phase 2 clinical trial of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) drug candidate BBT-877 was conducted on the 12th (local time) in Australia.

BBT-877 is an oral autotaxin inhibitor and the first drug candidate in its class that selectively inhibits autotaxin, a novel target protein known to be involved in various fibrotic diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Autotaxin converts lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) in the blood into lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). LPA binds to intracellular receptors and induces various physiological activities including sclerosis, tumor formation, and metastasis. BBT-877 reduces the production of LPA, thereby exhibiting effects that prevent inflammation and fibrosis.

This Phase 2 clinical trial will explore the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic effects of BBT-877 as a monotherapy and add-on therapy over 24 weeks in 120 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients at more than 50 clinical sites located in North America, Europe, Asia, and starting with the first patient dosing in Australia. The company explained that screening procedures for patient enrollment are actively underway in South Korea as well. Previously, in a Phase 1 clinical trial conducted in the United States in 2019, the safety and pharmacokinetic characteristics of the drug were explored in 88 adults, confirming that the drug could suppress the concentration of LPA, a biomarker of drug efficacy, by up to 90%.

Jung-kyu Lee, CEO of Bridge Biotherapeutics, stated, "BBT-877, the first autotaxin inhibitor in its class under development, starting efficacy exploration in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients is an important milestone and a noteworthy achievement for the company. We will strive to rapidly introduce a next-generation treatment with efficacy and safety to patients who need new therapeutic options."

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease known to cause death in more than 50% of patients within 3 to 5 years without appropriate treatment. Bridge Biotherapeutics explained that as the patent expiration of existing standard treatments approaches, the market demand for new idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatments is increasing further.

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