CytoKi Pharma ApS

Cytoki Pharma on Tuesday reported promising early data for its investigational lipidated IL-22 analogue CK-0045 in a Phase I study of 76 healthy participants and otherwise healthy participants with obesity, highlighting improvements on key cardiometabolic parameters."We believe CK-0045 offers a differentiated opportunity to address obesity and type 2 diabetes, either as monotherapy or in combination,” said Rasmus Jørgensen, chief executive of Cytoki. The company noted the data were adequate to support the drug’s advancement into mid-stage testing, which is likely to commence in the second half of the year.CK-0045 is an analogue of a non-immunomodulatory cytokine IL-22, selectively targeting epithelial cells in the gut and liver. According to the biotech, the drug’s “unique mechanism of action” mimicking endogenous IL-22 could potentially help treat various metabolic and inflammatory conditions. Preclinical data from mice studies have earlier shown weight loss and improved glucose homeostasis.Phase I findings established target engagement through liver and gut-derived biomarkers, while the pharmacokinetic data indicated the feasibility of once-weekly subcutaneous dosing. Additionally, exposure-dependent reductions in body mass and improvements on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin levels, and insulin resistance were observed, especially in participants with reduced insulin sensitivity. Moreover, CK-0045 had a favourable safety and tolerability profile, with no significant gastrointestinal side effects.Cytoki was founded in 2019 by Jørgensen, who previously headed research at Novo Nordisk. CK-0045 was subsequently in-licensed from Novo and positioned as the company’s lead asset.

CK-0045 induced exposure-dependent reductions in body weight and improvement of key metabolic parameters in participants with obesity Data support advancement of CK-0045 into Phase 2 proof-of-concept studies in individuals with type 2 diabetes and/or obesity COPENHAGEN, Denmark, July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cytoki Pharma, ApS (Cytoki), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new class of medicines that harness IL-22 biology to drive improved outcomes for metabolic disease, today announced positive data from a Phase 1 study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of CK-0045, its lead lipidated IL-22 candidate, in healthy participants and otherwise healthy participants with obesity. The data signal the effect of CK-0045 across several key metabolic parameters including body weight, cholesterol, blood glucose levels, and insulin sensitivity. "As the obesity treatment landscape continues to evolve, there remains a need for approaches that drive lasting disease modification through healthy weight loss and broader, deeper weight loss-independent metabolic effects," said Rasmus Jorgensen, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Cytoki Pharma. "We believe CK-0045 offers a differentiated opportunity to address obesity and type 2 diabetes, either as monotherapy or in combination with other clinical approaches and are encouraged by these first data supporting CK-0045's unique mechanism of action." IL-22 is a non-immunomodulatory cytokine that selectively targets epithelial tissues such as the gut and liver. Previously reported preclinical data demonstrate the potential of lipidated IL-22 to reduce body weight and improve glucose homeostasis in mice through a novel mode-of-action. Results from the Phase 1 study signal successful translation of the preclinical findings to humans, with confirmed target engagement based on liver and gut-derived biomarkers. Pharmacokinetic data confirm feasibility of once weekly subcutaneous dosing. CK-0045 induced exposure-dependent reductions in body mass that were complemented by beneficial reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood insulin concentration, and insulin resistance—particularly in participants with reduced insulin sensitivity. CK-0045 was safe and tolerated across the multiple ascending dose portion of the study, with all but one participant having completed dosing. The most commonly occurring side effects were mild skin reactions and a notable absence of substantial gastrointestinal effects was observed. The available clinical data support advancement of CK-0045 into Phase 2 proof-of-concept studies in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes to further assess the clinical relevance of observed effects. Initiation of the Phase 2 is anticipated in the second half of 2024. About CK-0045 CK-0045 is a long-acting analogue of interleukin-22 (IL-22), an atypical, non-immunomodulatory cytokine that selectively targets epithelial cells. In-licensed from Novo Nordisk A/S, CK-0045 incorporates validated technology to optimize the pharmacologic properties of the endogenous IL-22 protein to create a differentiated, first-in-class therapy with potential to address a broad range of metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, and conditions characterized by epithelial injury, such as inflammatory bowel disease. CK-0045 has been evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1 study designed to investigate its safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics in healthy individuals with and without obesity (NCT05712876). CK-0045 is expected to enter Phase 2 studies in the second half of 2024. About Cytoki Pharma Cytoki Pharma is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new class of medicines that harness IL-22 biology to drive improved outcomes for cardiometabolic disease. Cytoki's lead program, CK-0045, is a lipidated IL-22 analogue that has been evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical study and is expected to enter Phase 2 clinical studies in the second half of 2024. The lead compound is selected from a full program of therapeutic IL-22 variants based on an exclusive license from Novo Nordisk A/S. The company is also advancing a broader portfolio of preclinical IL-22-based assets for the treatment of metabolic disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Cytoki was founded in 2019 and is led by a team of pharma industry veterans with deep expertise in the discovery and clinical development of novel drugs. Please visit or follow us on LinkedIn for additional details. SOURCE Cytoki Pharma

Lipidated IL-22 induced dose-dependent reductions in body weight and blood glucose and improvement of key metabolic parameters in murine models CK-0045, the company's lead lipidated IL-22 candidate, is currently in Phase 1 clinical evaluation in healthy volunteers with and without obesity, with data anticipated in H1 2024 COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cytoki Pharma, ApS (Cytoki), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new class of medicines that harness IL-22 biology to drive improved outcomes for metabolic disease, today presented preclinical data demonstrating the potential of lipidated IL-22 to induce weight loss and positively impact a range of cardiometabolic risk factors at ObesityWeek 2023, held October 14-17 in Dallas. IL-22 is an atypical, non-immunomodulatory cytokine, which selectively targets epithelial tissues, including those that play important roles in metabolic processes, such as the gut and liver. Cytoki's lipidated IL-22 analogues leverage this innate biology and offer first-in-class potential to address a range of metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. "Despite the emergence of GLP-1 therapies and a burgeoning obesity market, there is still significant need for alternative approaches that avoid substantial gastrointestinal side effects and drive healthy weight loss—reductions in body mass with further improved cardiometabolic outcomes that bolster quality of life," said Rasmus Jorgensen, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Cytoki Pharma. "We are encouraged by these data supporting CK-0045's differentiated mode-of-action for treating diabetes and obesity and look forward to sharing data from our ongoing Phase 1 trial of CK-0045 in healthy adults with and without obesity next year." The data presented show that subcutaneous (SC) dosing of diet-induced obese (DIO) mice with lipidated IL-22 for five weeks resulted in dose-dependent reductions in body weight of up to 20.2% at the highest dose—a comparable reduction in mass as observed with optimally dosed GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) semaglutide (25.2%). IL‑22's mechanism of action is differentiated and complementary to that of GLP-1RAs and, as a result, lipidated Il-22 and semaglutide induced a synergistic effect on body weight loss when dosed together. Administration of lipidated IL-22 was also shown to directly impact lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity in DIO mice, with significant reductions in triglyceride levels and fasting insulin levels observed after five weeks of dosing versus weight-matched controls. Subsequent studies in diabetic db/db mice indicate that treatment with lipidated IL-22 normalized blood glucose levels and reduced HbA1c levels independent of food intake, accompanied by dose-dependent insulin sensitization. CK-0045, Cytoki's lead lipidated IL-22 analogue, is currently being evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1 study designed to investigate its safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics following SC administration in healthy participants and otherwise healthy participants with obesity (NCT05712876). The study will include a maximum of 88 participants across the single and multiple ascending dose cohorts. Data from the study is anticipated in the first half of 2024. The presentation details are as follows: Title: Novel Long-Acting Lipidated Interleukin-22 Reduces Body Weight and Improves Glucose Control in Mice Presenting Author: Martijn van de Bunt, M.D., D.Phil., Vice President of Research, Cytoki Pharma Location: Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, Room D174 Date & Time: Monday, October 16, 11:00 am CT About CK-0045 CK-0045 is a long-acting analogue of interleukin-22 (IL-22), an atypical, non-immunomodulatory cytokine that selectively targets epithelial cells. In-licensed from Novo Nordisk, CK-0045 incorporates validated technology to optimize the pharmacologic properties of the endogenous IL-22 protein to create a differentiated, first-in-class therapy with potential to address a broad range of metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, and conditions characterized by epithelial injury, such as inflammatory bowel disease. It is being evaluated in an ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1 study designed to investigate its safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics in healthy individuals with and without obesity. For additional information about the trial, please visit clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05712876). About Cytoki Pharma Cytoki Pharma is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new class of medicines that harness IL-22 biology to drive improved outcomes for cardiometabolic disease. Cytoki's lead program, CK-0045, is a lipidated IL-22 analogue currently in Phase 1 clinical evaluation, with data anticipated in first half of 2024. The company was founded in 2019 and is led by a team of pharma industry veterans with deep expertise in the discovery and clinical development of novel drugs that address metabolic disease. The lead compound is selected from a full program of therapeutic IL-22 variants based on an exclusive license from Novo Nordisk A/S. Please visit or follow us on LinkedIn for additional details. SOURCE Cytoki Pharma