Biohaven Pharma (BHVN) Reports Positive Degrader Data Achieving > 80% Sustained Reductions in Total IgG with Potential First-in-Class BHV-1300
Biohaven Ltd. (NYSE: BHVN) ("Biohaven"), a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of life-changing therapies to treat a broad range of rare and common diseases, today highlighted the success of BHV-1300, its potential first-in-class IgG1,2,4 selective degrader, in achieving rapid and deep reductions in total IgG, advancing a novel and transformative MoDE platform molecule for the potential treatment of autoimmune disease.
In the four-week Phase 1 study, subcutaneously administered BHV-1300 at a dose of 1000 mg weekly achieved rapid, deep and sustained reductions in total IgG of up to 84%, with a median reduction of 80% (Figure 1). Reductions occurred within hours of each dose, were progressive, and were sustained compared to baseline over the four-week period.
BHV-1300 was safe and well-tolerated in subcutaneous doses up to 2000 mg with no clinically significant increases in ALT, AST, or bilirubin, no clinically significant reductions in albumin, and no clinically significant increases in cholesterol over the four-week dosing period compared to placebo. There were no clinically significant reductions in IgG3, IgA, IgE, or IgM compared to baseline. Most AEs were mild and self-resolving, there were no discontinuations due to AEs related to study drug, and there were no serious or severe AEs. The Phase 1 study is ongoing with plans to continue to escalate multiple doses to explore the full range of targeted IgG lowering possible with this technology to customize an ideal treatment approach for different disease indications.
Biohaven's MoDE technology used in developing BHV-1300 was licensed from Yale University stemming from groundbreaking chemistry work in the Spiegel Lab. Yale Professor
BHV-1300 is differentiated from monoclonal antibodies targeting FcRn inhibition, offering a novel and selective approach to treat autoimmune causes of disease, while enabling patients to maintain immune protection against infection through preservation of IgG3 (Figure 2). IgG degradation with BHV-1300 is deep and tunable, capable of achieving remarkable depth of IgG lowering, and with refinement in degradation depth feasible through titration of dose level and frequency. It is designed for self-administration via an easy-to-use and patient-friendly autoinjector through an ongoing partnership with Ypsomed AG.
Graves' disease is an autoimmune condition that impacts 3 million individuals in the US and 80 million people worldwide. In Graves' disease (Figure 3), IgG1 autoantibodies mimic TSH, binding the TSH receptor in the thyroid and stimulating excess production of thyroid hormones. Graves' disease impacts every organ system, causing symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmias, anxiety, heat intolerance, weight loss, changes in appetite and bowel movements and shortness of breath, in addition to causing related conditions of thyroid eye disease and infiltrative dermopathy. A considerable unmet need exists for improved therapeutic options that target the underlying autoimmune etiology of disease and do not result in permanent hypothyroidism or bear risk of fatal agranulocytosis, hepatotoxicity and teratogenicity. While conventional treatments for Graves' disease, including thyroid removal or ablation and antithyroid drugs, have not changed in 70 years, scientific understanding of immunobiology has advanced considerably, enabling the development of BHV-1300, a precision therapeutic that targets the underlying IgG1 autoantibodies causing the disease.
