Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd announced that it has renewed its co-development collaboration with Calibr, a division of Scripps Research, to develop AK0705, a potential first-in-class drug targeting an enzyme that plays a crucial role in respiratory inflammation. The drug is intended to treat a broad spectrum of respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Drug Development and Mechanism
AK0705 is a potential first-in-class drug candidate that targets a key enzyme activated under inflammatory conditions. It has demonstrated picomolar potency through a novel reversible covalent binding mechanism. Under the terms of the agreement, ArkBio will lead the preclinical development activities, with Calibr contributing its expertise to guide the program forward. This renewed collaboration extends an ongoing partnership that identified AK0705 as the pre-clinical candidate (PCC). Upon completion of the next stage of development, AK0705 is expected to enter human clinical studies in 2024.
Company Overview and Pipeline
Founded in 2014, ArkBio has established a promising and highly differentiated product pipeline through in-house R&D efforts and external collaborations. The core product, ziresovir, is the world’s leading anti-RSV therapeutic drug and has received a breakthrough designation from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). It is currently under NDA review by the China CDE. Another near-commercial asset is the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug AZSTARYS, recently approved by the US FDA. ArkBio owns the rights for its development and commercialization in Greater China. The pipeline also includes a range of clinical and pre-clinical stage drug candidates with first- or best-in-class potential for global development.-Fineline Info & Tech
