– Data demonstrate significant improvements in clinically relevant endpoints including reduced inflammation of fat and muscle behind the eye –
– Company evaluating linsitinib in global Phase 2b LIDS clinical trial for treatment of active, moderate to severe thyroid eye disease –
Ann Arbor, MI, May 15, 2023 — Sling Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on late-stage development of an oral small molecule for the treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED), today announced the presentation of preclinical data that demonstrate linsitinib, a small molecule insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitor, decreases immune response in a mouse model of TED when given prophylactically or therapeutically. The data are being presented at IMMUNOLOGY2023™, the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) annual meeting, held May 11-15, 2023, in Washington DC.
“We are pleased to showcase our recent dataset on linsitinib as a potential treatment option to mitigate the classic signs of TED,” said Ryan Zeidan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Sling Therapeutics. “Importantly, there were no significant differences in outcome between mice treated prophylactically or after disease onset. These results support linsitinib’s therapeutic potential for patients with TED, which is being evaluated in our Phase 2b LIDS clinical trial that is currently enrolling across the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain and the UK.”
In the preclinical study, researchers assessed four weeks of treatment with linsitinib in mice that were induced with Graves’ disease, of which TED is a common manifestation. Linsitinib reduced T-cell and macrophage infiltration into orbital muscle and adipose tissue by up to 80 percent, whether given prophylactically or after disease induction, and demonstrated reduction in orbital fat deposits and muscle edema.
“Patients suffering from TED experience significant amounts of eye bulging, pain and discomfort, double vision, and reduced quality of life due to their activated immune system resulting in changes to the fat and muscle behind their eyes,” said Jeffrey Kent, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Sling Therapeutics. “These mouse model data provide a foundation for our ongoing clinical program evaluating linsitinib, potentially the first targeted oral therapy for TED. These exciting data demonstrating marked improvements with both prophylactic or therapeutic intervention provide insight into disease process and the potential to treat TED earlier in its course.”
“We are beyond excited to share our data on linsitinib and its potential therapeutic impact on patients suffering from TED,” said Anja Eckstein, M.D., professor at the University Eye Hospital Essen, Germany and head of the department of Orthoptics, Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Orbital Center. “In our experimental murine model for Graves’ Disease we demonstrated that linsitinib prevents development and progression of TED and effectively improves the total disease outcome, indicating the clinical significance of our findings.”
For more information about the Phase 2b LIDS trial, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05276063.
About Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)
TED is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects about 20,000 people in the U.S. per year and has a similar prevalence in Europe. Dysfunction in the IGF-1R signaling pathway leads to a prevalence of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor autoantibodies (TSHR-Abs) that drive excess fibrous tissue growth behind the eyes. The inflammation can push the eyes forward or cause the eyes and eyelids to become red and swollen. As the disease progresses it can lead to pain, eye bulging, and double vision. TED predominantly affects women, and most frequently affects people with hyperthyroidism due to Graves’ disease.
About Sling Therapeutics
Sling Therapeutics, Inc., is a biopharmaceutical company focused on late-stage development of an oral small molecule for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). The company is advancing the evaluation of its lead product candidate, linsitinib, in the Phase 2b LIDS clinical trial based on extensive preclinical and clinical data. Linsitinib offers the potential of a convenient oral small molecule that could significantly reduce the treatment burden for people living with TED. For more information visit https://slingtx.com/.
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