Singapore-based Aslan Pharmaceuticals is hitting go again on its stalled dermatitis study.
Back in April, ASLAN004, the biotech's anti-IL-13Rα1 antibody licensed from CSL and positioned to try to take on Regeneron and Sanofi’s blockbuster Dupixent, saw patient recruitment paused for a study in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.
The culprit was the COVID-19 pandemic, which at the time was at its height as countries around the world desperately went into lockdown to try to halt it spread.
Now, however, and alongside many other trials from across the world, Aslan says it can once again hit go and allow new patients into its ASLAN004 trial. “Patients are now being recruited into the second of three dose cohorts at all screening sites in Singapore,” the biotech said in a statement.
“To accelerate recruitment, ASLAN is in the process of opening additional study sites in Australia and the U.S.,” it added. We’ll get an interim, unblinded peak at the data from all 3 dose cohorts in the fourth quarter.
Last May, Aslan secured the global rights to ASLAN004 from CSL. This was a revision of its original deal, which tied Aslan to milestones including a $30 million payment when ASLAN004 enters phase 3.
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Aslan first secured a stake in ASLAN004 all the way back in 2014. That deal tasked Aslan with taking the drug up to clinical proof of concept in an Asian-centered development program and then partnering up for phase 3 development and commercialization. CSL would receive 40% to 50% of the proceeds of the outlicensing agreement and any other revenues related to ASLAN004.
But, under the new-look pact, Aslan claimed full global rights to ASLAN004 for itself. That committed Aslan to the aforementioned phase 3 payout, up to $95 million in regulatory milestones and as much as $655 million in fees tied to the commercial success of ASLAN004. CSL will receive sub-10% royalties, too.
ASLAN004, then known as CSL334, was seen as a potential treatment for asthma when Aslan struck the original deal in 2014. But the focus of ASLAN004 development has shifted to atopic dermatitis.
Regeneron and Sanofi showed the therapeutic impact of inhibiting the signaling of both IL-4 and IL-13 through the development of Dupixent.
The data got Dupixent to market and are driving blockbuster sales but have failed to deter rivals from the atopic dermatitis market.