CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Imara, Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to developing novel therapeutics for patients with sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies, today announced the acceptance of the company’s abstract describing the preclinical efficacy and safety of its lead product candidate, IMR-687, for oral presentation at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 58th Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place December 3-6 in San Diego, California.
The abstract, titled, “A Novel, Highly Potent and Selective PDE9 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease,” will be presented by James McArthur, Ph.D., founder, president, and chief executive officer of Imara. The details of the presentation are as follows:
| Session: |
113. Hemoglobinopathies, Excluding Thalassemia—Basic and
Translational Science: |
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| Date: | Sunday, December 4, 2016 | ||
| Time: | 8:15 a.m. PST | ||
| Location: | San Diego Convention Center, Room 7AB | ||
“There is a tremendous need for safe, effective, and easy-to-administer, disease-modifying treatments for people living with sickle cell disease,” said Dr. McArthur. “Imara looks forward to sharing the compelling data supporting the development of IMR-687 for prevention of the pathologies of severe hemoglobinopathies at the ASH Annual Meeting as we continue working to advance new therapeutic options aimed at reducing both the sickling of red blood cells and blood vessel occlusion.”
IMR-687 is being studied as a once-daily oral, highly-potent and selective phosphodiesterase 9 (PDE9) inhibitor. During the presentation, Imara will also provide an update on the clinical development of IMR-687.
About Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease is a rare, genetically inherited condition that alters hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body. The altered hemoglobin distorts red blood cells into a sickle, or crescent, shape. Painful episodes can occur when sickled red blood cells, which are stiff and inflexible, get stuck in small blood vessels. These episodes deprive tissues and organs of oxygen-rich blood and can lead to vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), acute chest syndrome (ACS), and permanent damage to organs including the liver, spleen, kidney and brain.
About Imara
Imara Inc., a Cydan Development company, is dedicated to developing novel therapeutics for patients with sickle cell disease. Imara is developing IMR-687, a highly selective, potent small molecule inhibitor of PDE9, to treat patients with sickle cell disease. The company was launched following an 18-month diligence and de-risking scientific collaboration between orphan drug accelerator Cydan Development and H. Lundbeck A/S with initial funding from life science investors NEA, Pfizer Venture Investments, Lundbeckfond Ventures, Bay City Capital and Alexandria Venture Investments.
