GRI Bio presents preclinical data on GRI-0621 in IPF at ICLAF 2024

GRI Bio announced the presentation of preclinical data demonstrating its lead program GRI-0621 reduces important inflammatory and fibrotic drivers in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. The poster titled, “Involvement of Type 1 Invariant Natural Killer T Cells in Driving Lung Fibrosis,” was presented by Vipin Kumar Chaturvedi, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of GRI Bio highlighting results of an analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from IPF patients and GRI-0621 in a treatment model of pulmonary fibrosis was presented at the 22nd International Colloquium on Lung and Airway Fibrosis being held October 12-16, 2024 in Athens, Greece. IPF patients had increased expression in whole BAL pellets of pro-fibrotic factors as Collagen 1-alpha1, osteopontin and TGF-beta, as assessed by qPCR. Researchers detected an increase in IFN-gamma producing NKT cells in IPF, compared to controls and confirmed iNKT cell phenotype in a second cohort, using an antibody against Valpha24-Jalpha18 of the iNKT TCR. GRI-0621 treatment, administered during the fibrotic phase of the bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis, improved a majority of inflammatory, fibrotic and pathological features including a reduction in lung injury, myofibroblast activity, collagen deposition and fibrosis. IPF is a rare chronic progressive pulmonary disease with abnormal scarring of the lung blocking the movement of oxygen into the bloodstream. The architectural destruction of the lung results in breathlessness, significant decline in quality of life and an average untreated survival of 3.5 years from diagnosis. Currently available treatments for IPF are limited with only two approved drugs that come with significant side-effects, limited compliance and no impact on survival. GRI Bio is currently advancing its lead program GRI-0621, a small molecule RAR-beta dual agonist candidate that inhibits the activity of human iNKT cells, in a Phase 2a, randomized, double-blind, multi-center, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, 2-arm study for the treatment of IPF. Interim data from the Phase 2a biomarker study is expected in the fourth quarter of 2024 and topline results are expected in the first quarter of 2025.