LA JOLLA, Calif. - Equillium, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQ), a biotechnology firm, has announced positive preliminary data from a study evaluating itolizumab, a novel therapy for lupus nephritis, a severe autoimmune condition. The Phase 1b EQUALISE trial results showed that the drug, when combined with standard treatments, significantly reduced proteinuria, a marker of kidney damage, in the majority of patients.
The study enrolled 17 subjects, with 16 completing the 36-week trial period. Notably, over 80% of the participants achieved more than a 50% reduction in urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR), indicating a strong response to the treatment. The treatment was also well-tolerated, with most adverse events being mild or moderate in severity.
Itolizumab's performance was compared favorably to voclosporin, another treatment for lupus nephritis, which had shown a 70% overall response rate at six and twelve months. Equillium's drug demonstrated complete and partial response rates by week 36, with 37.5% of subjects achieving complete response and an additional 43.8% achieving partial response.
The safety profile of itolizumab was favorable, with the majority of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) being of low grade, and no serious adverse events were related to the study treatment.
This topline data is the first of two sets of results that Ono Pharmaceutical will review before deciding whether to exercise their option to acquire itolizumab, with a decision expected in the second half of 2024.
The EQUALISE study is part of Equillium's broader effort to address autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Itolizumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting the CD6-ALCAM signaling pathway, which is implicated in the activity of T cells responsible for several immuno-inflammatory diseases.
This report is based on a press release statement and does not constitute an endorsement of Equillium's claims.
InvestingPro Insights
Equillium, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQ) has recently attracted attention with its promising clinical trial results for itolizumab, offering potential hope for lupus nephritis patients. As investors assess the impact of these findings on Equillium's financial health and stock performance, certain real-time data and InvestingPro Tips can provide valuable insights.
InvestingPro data highlights a significant revenue growth of 128.97% in the last twelve months as of Q4 2023, suggesting a robust expansion in the company's financials. Despite this impressive top-line growth, it's important to note that the company's P/E ratio stands at -6.02, reflecting its current lack of profitability. In addition, Equillium's price/book ratio is 3.61, which could indicate that the stock is trading at a premium relative to the company’s book value.
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