A rare pediatric disease designation for its achondroplasia treatment and a subsequent $200 million private placement boosted shares of Tyra Biosciences Inc. on Feb. 2 by 29.3%.
Four other companies want to replicate Biomarin Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s recent success as they seek approvals to treat the rare but most prevalent genetic form of dwarfism, achondroplasia. The U.S. FDA approved the sNDA for injectable Voxzogo (vosoritide), fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) inhibitor from Biomarin on Oct. 20.
Positive results from Bridgebio Pharma Inc.’s phase II study of infigratinib in children with achondroplasia, a genetic disease that inhibits bone length and leads to short stature, prompted the company stock to surge. Participants receiving the highest dosage, which was the fifth cohort getting 0.25 mg/kg daily, saw a 3.03-centimeter increase, about 1.19 inch, in their height annually, which produced a “p” value of 0.0022.
Tyra Biosciences Inc. is expanding development of TYRA-300 into achondroplasia based on promising preclinical results from a study conducted in collaboration with the Imagine Institute. A specific mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) causes over 97% of achondroplasia.
Wall Street apparently wants to see longer-term data from Bridgebio Pharma Inc. with oral infigratinib in children with achondroplasia (ACH) before deciding about the drug’s chances against the approved therapy Voxzogo (vosoritide) from Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc.’s data supporting the use of Voxzogo (vosoritide) in children with the most common form of dwarfism proved compelling for the FDA, which cleared the modified C-type natriuretic peptide as the first treatment for the rare genetic disease affecting bone growth.
LONDON – Innoskel has arrived on the scene with a €20 million (US$24.3 million) series A funding to advance development of gene therapies for type 2 collagenopathies, a group of rare skeletal disorders that affect the structure of connective tissues, leading to short stature.
