Meet Coya Therapeutics: Fly exclusive interview with CEO Howard Berman

Coya is focused on developing multi-modality Treg therapies for neurodegenerative, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases

In an exclusive interview with The Fly, Coya Therapeutics (COYA) CEO Howard Berman talked about the company, its pipeline, upcoming catalysts and milestones, pandemic-related impacts, and much more.

DIFFERENTIATED APPROACH: Coya is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing proprietary treatments focused on the biology and potential therapeutic advantages of regulatory T cells, or Tregs, to target systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation. Dysfunctional Tregs underlie numerous conditions including neurodegenerative, metabolic, and autoimmune diseases, and this cellular dysfunction may lead to a sustained inflammation and oxidative stress resulting in lack of homeostasis of the immune system.

Coya’s investigational product candidate pipeline leverages multiple therapeutic modalities aimed at restoring the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions of Tregs. Coya’s therapeutic platforms include Treg-enhancing biologics, Treg-derived exosomes, and autologous Treg cell therapy. Coya’s 300 Series product candidates, COYA 301 and COYA 302, are biologic therapies intended to enhance Treg function and expand Treg numbers. These two mechanisms may be additive or synergistic in suppressing inflammation.

"What makes us unique and differentiated is being on the forefront in understanding how to modify Tregs and add combination therapeutics to really slow and potential stop and dramatically impact the disease progression," CEO Howard Berman explained to The Fly. "I truly believe we’re onto something meaningful and substantial and we will make a difference. This upcoming year will be filled with catalysts and milestones that will get people excited."

PUBLIC COMPANY: Coya went public back in December. While the CEO noted that the company has always "maintained the importance of meeting our milestones even as a private company," he acknowledged that now as a public company, Coya is "held to a different standard." "We now have audited financials and have to abide by all the regulations of the SEC. But our mission is still the same, to develop drugs for these terrible diseases, FTD [Frontotemporal Dementia] in particular and ALS [Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis] and some other neurodegenerative diseases. Now we have a larger shareholder base, of course, but we’re fully committed to making sure we’re successful."

UPCOMING EVENTS: Looking out over this new year, Berman sees "a few data releases." This month the company will be presenting data in ALS at the MDA conference in Dallas, Texas. "The month after that we’ll be presenting Alzheimer’s data and that’s very promising. In July we will be presenting additional Alzheimer’s data. We are also filing new INDs – industry sponsored INDs – to start trials. This is coincidental with the sad news of Bruce Willis and FTD diagnosis… The first indication we are filing for is in FTD with our low dose IL-2. We’re also planning to file another IND by the end of the year but we haven’t disclosed what indication yet, but we will soon," Coya’s CEO explained.

COVID-RELATED IMPACT: Discussing COVID-related impacts with The Fly, the company’s CEO noted that while everyone was impacted, "patients are very motivated when they have these terrible, devastating diseases to get into trials and be participants in their own journey." "We find no limitations now. Patients are more present than ever in terms of clinical trials and clinical trial involvement," the executive added.

"Meet the Company" is The Fly’s recurring series of exclusive short interviews with Executive Officers to offer a deeper look inside the company.

Keywords: Meet the Company, The Fly exclusive, interview, biotech, pharma, treg