China-based Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals and Hutchison China Meditech (HutchMed; NASDAQ: HCM, HKG: 0013) announced that the first subject has been dosed in the US in a global Phase I clinical study for their drug candidate IMG-004. The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single and multiple dosage escalation study is designed to assess the safety, tolerance, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of the drug in healthy subjects.
Drug Background
IMG-004 is a non-covalent and reversible third-generation BTK inhibitor originated by HutchMed and developed from the candidate stage by Inmagene. BTK belongs to the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Tec family, which plays a crucial role in the innate and adaptive immune response of some immune-mediated diseases. Given the central role of BTK in immune response, its inhibitor holds potential as a treatment for a range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. IMG-004, characterized by high efficacy, high selectivity, and the ability to pass through the blood-brain barrier, has demonstrated superior activity, selectivity, and pharmacokinetics in preclinical studies.-Fineline Info & Tech
