A Brighton firm has started testing a new treatment for people with cystic fibrosis.
Enterprise Therapeutics, which is based at the Sussex Innovation Centre, in Falmer, said today (Tuesday 23 July) that it had given its first phase 2 trial dose to a cystic fibrosis patient.
The biopharmaceutical company said that its “novel therapy ETD001” was intended to make it easier for people with cystic fibrosis to break down mucus in their airways.
The company said: “ETD001 has previously demonstrated a strong safety profile in healthy participants in a phase 1 trial and has been shown to be long-acting in pre-clinical studies.”
The trial will take place in Britain, Germany, France and Italy and will assess lung function in patients who are either ineligible for or are not receiving an existing treatment.
Cystic fibrosis is estimated to affect more than 100,000 people worldwide, with an average life expectancy of only 50 years.
People who have cystic fibrosis can struggle to clear mucus from their airways and suffer increasing congestion which leads to inflammation and infection and reduces lung function.
The aim of using the ETD001 treatment is to hydrate mucus, make it easier to clear, reduce mucus congestion and substantially improve lung function.
The company said that the treatment appeared to be safe in healthy participants in a phase 1 trial and had been shown to be “long-acting in pre-clinical studies”.
Enterprise Therapeutics’ chief executive John Ford, 50, said: “The dosing of the first person with cystic fibrosis in our phase 2a trial of ETD001 represents an incredible milestone.”
Dr Ford said that it was “testament to Enterprise’s dedication to advancing a novel approach” to treating people with cystic fibrosis with the highest unmet medical need.
He added: “We look forward to progressing ETD001 through Phase 2 trials and beyond.”
The company’s head of development Paul Russell said: “By targeting the underlying mechanisms of mucus congestion in the lungs … ETD001 has the potential to be a transformative respiratory therapeutic.”
Mr Russell said that the treatment could end up also helping patients with other lung conditions such as asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
He added: “The commencement of our phase 2a trial brings us an exciting step closer to realising that potential.”
Enterprise Therapeutics’ chief medical officer Renu Gupta said: “We are grateful to the people with cystic fibrosis participating in our phase 2 study of ETD001 and to the clinical investigators for achieving this major milestone.”
Dr Gupta said: “We are hopeful that our steadfast commitment to advancing this innovative … molecule, along with our partnerships with the cystic fibrosis community, will lead to a treatment that will vastly improve the lives of people living with cystic fibrosis.”
Enterprise Therapeutics was set up 10 years ago and, since 2015, has been based at the Sussex Innovation Centre, on the Sussex University campus, in Falmer.
One of the founders of Enterprise Therapeutics, Martin Gosling, 55, is honorary professor of drug discovery at Sussex University.
Professor Gosling serves as the chief scientific officer and chief operating officer at Enterprise.
