aTyr Pharma
aTyr Pharma translates tRNA synthetase biology into new therapies for fibrosis and inflammation, with its lead candidate efzofitimod in clinical development for interstitial lung disease.
Company Overview
aTyr Pharma translates tRNA synthetase biology into new therapies for fibrosis and inflammation. The company is known for its innovative approach to developing biologics that modulate the immune system and address critical medical needs. The company's research focuses on developing therapies derived from tRNA synthetase biology to treat severe diseases such as interstitial lung disease (ILD), systemic sclerosis, and liver disorders. Their lead therapeutic candidate is efzofitimod, which is currently in clinical development.
Efzofitimod: Lead Therapeutic Candidate
Efzofitimod is a first-in-class biologic immunomodulator developed by aTyr Pharma. It is currently undergoing clinical development for treating interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pulmonary sarcoidosis and systemic sclerosis-related ILD. Efzofitimod is the subject of two major clinical studies: the global Phase 3 EFZO-FIT™ study and the Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT™ study. The U.S. FDA and E.U. have granted efzofitimod orphan drug designations, and it has also received U.S. FDA Fast Track designations for sarcoidosis and systemic sclerosis-related ILD.
Research and Development Pipeline
aTyr Pharma's pipeline includes a range of therapeutic candidates derived from their tRNA synthetase platform. These candidates target inflammation and fibrosis. In addition to efzofitimod, the company is developing ATYR0101, a fusion protein targeting fibrosis, and ATYR0750, a fusion protein for liver disorders. ATYR0101 regulates TGFβ through LTBP1, while ATYR0750 binds to FGFR4. Both ATYR0101 and ATYR0750 are in preclinical development stages. aTyr Pharma also focuses on diseases with Neuropilin-2 (NRP2) overexpression, including cancer, by developing a high-throughput platform for bispecific antibodies.
Partnerships and Collaborations
aTyr Pharma has established significant partnerships and collaborations to further its research and commercialization efforts. The company has a notable partnership with Kyorin Pharmaceutical, Co., Ltd., valued at up to $175 million, to develop and commercialize efzofitimod for ILD in Japan. Additionally, aTyr collaborates with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and has received financial support from the Hong Kong government's Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) through its subsidiary, Pangu BioPharma.
Intellectual Property Portfolio
aTyr Pharma maintains a comprehensive global portfolio of patents covering its product candidates, methods of use, and related technologies. The company owns or has licenses to over 220 issued patents or allowed patent applications. Specifically, the efzofitimod patent portfolio includes four patent families with issued patents in the US, Japan, China, Australia, Hong Kong, and Europe. Additionally, the pipeline of extracellular tRNA synthetase proteins is covered by 21 patent families directed at all 20 human cytosolic tRNA synthetases.