Jasper Therapeutics announces development prioritization of briquilimab

Jasper Therapeutics announced, as part of an overall portfolio prioritization, that the Company will focus on the development of its lead product candidate, briquilimab, in chronic diseases and stem cell transplant for rare diseases. This portfolio includes a new program on chronic urticaria, along with the Company’s existing programs for lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, MDS, sickle cell disease, Fanconi anemia and severe combined immunodeficiency, SCID. Based on preclinical and clinical studies showing inhibition of c-Kit signaling, depletion of mast cells in skin and lung and extended pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous dosing, the Company has prioritized rapidly starting a clinical study in severe chronic urticaria. In the meantime, while the Company does not have any near-term plans to initiate a Phase 3 study in AML/MDS, the Company will continue to work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the transplant community and potential partners to explore development pathways and ensure briquilimab remains ready for a pivotal Phase 3 study in AML/MDS stem cell transplant. "We are ecstatic about the growing body of clinical and scientific evidence that show briquilimab has an attractive tolerability profile in a number of potential indications and may provide clinically meaningful results for a wide range of patients, and are grateful to our team, clinical investigators, patients and external partners for helping us advance this drug into later stage trials so quickly in such a challenging environment over the past two years," said Ronald Martell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jasper. "We believe focusing on the most well-characterized opportunities with the clearest and potentially fastest pathway to market is in the best interest of patients and our shareholders. As such, our near-term development program will consist of moving rapidly into a clinical trial in chronic severe urticaria and initiating our chronic lower-risk MDS study, while continuing recruitment in the SCID, Fanconi anemia and sickle cell disease transplant studies." The Company expects new supportive data to be presented at the upcoming 2023 Tandem Meetings: Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR that will further reinforce the broad opportunity for briquilimab.