Pieris Pharmaceuticals has announced that it will develop an inhaled anticalin known as PRS-220 for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and for pulmonary fibrosis following COVID infection, with both programs slated to start in 2022. A €14.2 million grant from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy will fund development of PRS-220 for long COVID, including tox studies, GMP manufacturing, and Phase 1 trials. PRS-220, which inhibits connective tissue growth factor (CTGF or CCN2), has “a developability profile demonstrating suitability for inhaled delivery,” the company said.
The Pieris web site indicates that it does not currently have a partner for development of PRS-220. In 2017, Pieris announced that AstraZeneca had acquired rights to Pieris inhaled anticalin therapies, including its lead product, PRS-60 for the treatment of asthma.
Pieris President and CEO Stephen S. Yoder commented, “We are excited to unveil our most advanced proprietary inhaled respiratory program and look forward to sharing more details on this program later this year, while actively working to begin clinical development next year. The Bavarian government’s support of innovative drug development is invaluable for both the local biotech ecosystem and broader public health initiatives, and we are grateful for having been selected as a recipient of this grant for PRS-220, which will allow us to accelerate its development and broaden clinical investigation beyond IPF to address an evolving medical need precipitated by the global COVID-19 pandemic that we believe will persist. Pieris is a pioneer in the inhaled biologics space, and it is gratifying to leverage our respiratory platform to improve the lives of those affected by respiratory diseases such as IPF and COVID-19.”
Read the Pieris Pharmaceuticals press release.
