
Sosei and Verily partner on GPCRs; ObsEva touts PhIII data in endometriosis pain
Sosei Heptares is teaming up with a big-name partner: Alphabet’s Verily.
No financials were disclosed, but the pair will aim to use Verily’s immune profiling and Sosei Heptares’ GPCR drug design capabilities to develop a variety of new therapeutics. The collaboration will focus on GPCR drugs in the immunology, gastroenterology and immuno-oncology spaces, as well as other disorders with immunoprotective or immunopathogenic mechanisms, the companies said.
“Immunology is a key area of focus for Sosei Heptares and this new collaboration brings together two world-class technologies and teams with the skills and expertise to define key GPCRs as targets for the discovery of new medicines that could have significant impact on patients with immune-based diseases worldwide,” Sosei VP for drug discovery Matt Barnes said in a statement. — Max Gelman
ObsEva unveils new PhIII data for endometriosis pain
Just a month after women’s health biotech ObsEva brought on a new CFO, the company has some Phase III trial data for pain associated with endometriosis.
The trial was for linzagolix, an oral GnRH antagonist candidate for women with moderate-to-severe endometriosis-associated pain, also known as EAP. Two doses — 200 mg once-daily with add-back therapy (ABT) and 75 mg daily without back therapy — were tested.
The 200 mg dose, according to ObsEva, met the study’s co-primary efficacy objectives: reducing dysmenorrhea (DYS) and non-menstrual pelvic pain (NMPP) at 3 months. At 6 months of treatment at 200 mg, there were listed improvements in five secondary endpoints: dysmenorrhea, non-menstrual pelvic pain, dyschezia, overall pelvic pain, and ability to do daily activities.
The 75 mg dose did show a statistically significant reduction versus placebo in DYS at 3 months. Although it showed improvement in NMPP at 3 months, it did not reach statistical significance versus placebo.
ObsEva CMO Elizabeth Garner praised the results, saying in a statement that the biotech plans to complete its Phase III program for EAP, and said that it would explore a non-ABT option for that indication. — Paul Schloesser