GRI Bio's GRI-0621 Meets Primary Endpoint In Phase 2a IPF Trial, Showing Improved FVC, Biomarker Evidence Of Anti-Fibrotic Activity And Strong Safety Profile

GRI Bio, Inc. (the "Company") has received topline data from the Phase 2a GRI-0621-IPF-02 clinical trial evaluating GRI-0621 for the treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ("IPF"). This topline data indicates that the trial met its primary endpoint and certain secondary endpoints that have been evaluated to date demonstrating that GRI-0621 was well tolerated over a 12-week treatment period, consistent with earlier studies evaluating over 1,700 subjects treated for up to a year. Subjects treated with GRI-0621 also displayed improvements in serum biomarkers of collagen turnover suggesting fibrosis resolution and induction of an alveolar basement membrane repair mechanism.

 

Placebo-adjusted changes from baseline in Forced Vital Capacity ("FVC") increased by 99 ml in the GRI-0621-treated arm and by 139 ml in the subset taking both GRI-0621 and standard of care compared to placebo plus standard of care. Breathing tests used to measure FVC are subject to large visit-to-visit variability and are dependent on the patient's effort, often resulting in data outliers. To minimize the impact of outliers in the dataset, a post hoc data analysis was performed excluding the datapoints with the largest gain or loss in FVC over 12 weeks from both arms. The results of this analysis demonstrated an increase in placebo-adjusted change from baseline in FVC of 54 ml in the GRI-0621-treated arm and an increase of 81 ml in the subset taking both GRI-0621 and standard of care. Overall, 39% of GRI-0621 treated subjects experienced an increase in FVC at 12 weeks compared to 80% of subjects who experienced a decline in FVC at 12 weeks in the placebo-treated arm.

 

Changes from baseline of serum biomarkers of type I, III and VI collagen in GRI-0621-treated subjects were suggestive of an anti-fibrotic effect, with decreases in biomarkers of fibrosis formation and increases in biomarkers of fibrosis resolution, including crosslinked type III collagen, observed after 12 weeks of treatment with GRI-0621. Changes from baseline in type IV collagen were suggestive of initiation of an alveolar basement membrane repair mechanism, an important step in repair of injured lung tissue.

 

No safety or tolerability concerns or treatment related serious adverse events were observed in GRI-0621 treated subjects enrolled at 12 weeks of treatment. Adverse events were grade 2 (17%) or grade 3 (4%), with dry skin, dry lips, muscle and joint pain as the most common adverse events reported. There were no increases in cough (0% in the GRI-0621-treated arm compared to 25% in the placebo arm) or gastrointestinal disorders reported in the GRI-0621 arm compared to the placebo arm (diarrhea reported in 13% versus 33%, respectively). 80% of the subjects enrolled were taking background pirfenidone or nintedanib. No changes in liver enzymes, triglycerides or cholesterol were observed over 12 weeks in patients treated with GRI-0621 and standard of care.