MyMD Earns Patent for Investigational Therapy MYMD-1
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MyMD Pharmaceuticals has secured a 13th U.S. patent protecting its experimental therapy MYMD-1, which is being investigated as a potential treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other diseases.
The new patent (11,096,933), “Method of Treating Disorders Associated with Chronic Inflammation,” covers the administration of MYMD-1 to treat disorders associated with chronic inflammation, with a particular focus on fibrosis (scarring) and asthma.
“This latest patent underscores MYMD-1’s potential to inhibit inflammation, which is linked to myriad diseases including IPF,” Chris Chapman, MD, president, director, and chief medical officer at MyMD, said in a press release.
“Nearly 100,000 people in the United States have [IPF], and although cases continue to climb, there is still a significant unmet need in treatment options for this chronic disease,” Chapman added.
MYMD-1 is a synthetic small molecule that acts by preventing immune cells from releasing tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and other pro-inflammatory cytokines — signaling molecules that mediate the body’s immune and inflammatory responses.
TNF-alpha is a potent driver of inflammation. As such, it plays vital roles in coordinating the body’s defense mechanisms against disease-causing invaders.
However, abnormal TNF-alpha signaling has been implicated in the development of many autoimmune diseases — conditions in which the body’s immune system erroneously attacks healthy tissues. Abnormal TNF-alpha signaling — and, more generally, inflammation itself — also can promote the development of IPF and other fibrosis-related diseases.
Earlier this year, research carried out by Eurofins Discovery, a company specializing in food and pharmaceutical product testing, indicated that MYMD-1 may have beneficial effects in IPF.
Specifically, results showed that the investigational compound was able to inhibit the inflammatory activity of TNF-alpha, and also block the activity of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), another signaling molecule that is a well-established driver of fibrosis in IPF.
According to the company, MYMD-1’s combined anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties make it a promising therapeutic candidate for IPF and other fibrotic disorders.
MyMD has already completed Phase 1 clinical testing of MYMD-1. This is the earliest stage of clinical development, usually done in healthy volunteers, to look for early safety concerns that might not have emerged in preclinical studies.
The company is planning to start Phase 2 testing in a range of conditions characterized by excessive inflammation, including multiple sclerosis, diabetes, cancer, and COVID-19.
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