Biopharma Company That’s Developing Potential Therapy for Systemic Sclerosis Is Recognized for Innovative Approach at 4th World Congress
The organizing committee of the 4th Systemic Sclerosis World Congress recently held in Lisbon, Portugal on Feb. 18-20 recognized Inventiva, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of treatments for fibrosis, oncology, and orphan diseases, for its innovative approach in the development of its lead drug candidate, IVA337, a promising new therapeutic agent for systemic sclerosis.
The research data was presented at the Congress via a poster titled “Pan PPAR agonist IVA337 has an anti‐fibrotic effect in multiple in vitro and in vivo fibrosis models” by Prof. Yannick Allanore, professor of rheumatology at Hôpital Cochin in France.
IVA337, the lead product in Inventiva’s pipeline, is an anti-fibrotic drug with a unique mechanism of action by activating all three alpha, gamma, and delta PPARs (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors), receptors that play key roles in controlling the fibrotic process.
Besides systemic sclerosis, IVA337 is also being tested for non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis (NASH), a severe and highly prevalent liver disease for which Inventiva intends to launch a Phase 2b clinical trial soon.
In their poster, researchers presented data demonstrating the anti-fibrotic action of IVA337 in several in vitro and in vivo fibrosis models in lungs, liver, and kidneys. The results reinforced the major role of PPARs in fibrogenesis.
In another presentation, titled “Pan PPAR agonist IVA337 is effective in prevention and treatment of experimental skin fibrosis,” Allanore presented additional data demonstrating the effects of IVA337 on skin fibrosis.
“We are very proud to have been selected from over 400 high‐level research submissions presented at this Congress, which is the most important scientific global event in the field of systemic sclerosis,” Pierre Broqua, chief scientific officer and co‐founder of Inventiva, said in a press release. “This recognition reflects IVA337’s promising therapeutic potential, not only in systemic sclerosis, but also in other indications involving fibrosis, such as NASH, for which no effective treatments exist yet.”
The drug candidate is currently being evaluated as a systemic sclerosis therapy in a Phase 2b clinical study, and Inventiva plans to enroll 135 patients in eight European countries.
The 4th Systemic Sclerosis World Congress, organized by the World Scleroderma Foundation, had more than 400 abstract submissions by the world’s leading experts.
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