PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sparrow Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, targeted therapies to address unmet needs in both endocrinology and rheumatology, today presented pharmacology data during an online poster session on SPI-62, a HSD-1 inhibitor, at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2022 meeting. The presentation titled, “Toward Safer Glucocorticoid Therapy” examined the ability of SPI-62 to mitigate the adverse effects of exogenously administered corticosterone (CORT) in mouse, with results suggesting SPI-62 has the potential to prevent the adverse effects of glucocorticoids.
“Patients with autoimmune conditions such as polymyalgia rheumatica rely on glucocorticoids such as prednisone. The effects of long-term use can be severe, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and muscle and skin atrophy. An effective glucocorticoid with fewer side effects would be a breakthrough for them,” said David A. Katz, Ph.D., CSO at Sparrow Pharmaceuticals. “The study data presented at ACR demonstrate that SPI-62 can prevent cardiometabolic, muscular, and dermal adverse side effects of CORT in mouse. That adds to the existing evidence that SPI-62 in combination with a glucocorticoid has potential to be effective, safe, convenient, and cost-effective treatment for patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and other rheumatic diseases. A Phase 2 clinical trial of prednisolone together with SPI-62 is ongoing.”
CORT was administered to mice for 5 weeks. The animals were randomized to three different SPI- 62 regimens or vehicle. SPI-62 prevented CORT adverse effects of increased food consumption, accelerated body weight gain, skin atrophy, insulin resistance, skeletal myoatrophy, and reduced grip strength, each in a dose-dependent manner.
SPI-62 is a potent HSD-1 inhibitor that is in a Phase 2 clinical trial with prednisolone for polymyalgia rheumatica, a prevalent autoimmune disease that mainly affects people over 50. HSD-1 is an intracellular enzyme that activates glucocorticoids in target tissues in which glucocorticoid medicines are associated with morbidity including liver, adipose, muscle, and skin. SPI-47, a fixed-dose-combination of SPI-62 and prednisolone, is in development. Additionally, SPI-62 is in Phase 2 clinical trials for Cushing’s syndrome and autonomous cortisol secretion. In Phase 1 clinical trials, SPI-62 was generally well tolerated and demonstrated maximal liver HSD-1 inhibition and brain HSD-1 occupancy.
To view the abstracts, visit the ACR Convergence website here.
To learn more about Sparrow Pharmaceuticals and its clinical pipeline, visit the website at www.sparrowpharma.com.
About Sparrow Pharmaceuticals
Sparrow Pharmaceuticals aims to spare patients the ravages of steroids. Leveraging underappreciated scientific insights into steroid biology, the company is working to provide better treatment options for serious disorders of hypercortisolism, and to revolutionize the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. SPI-62, is an oral, small molecule, novel therapeutic treatment designed to target the source of active intracellular glucocorticoids in key tissues.
