Marburg, Germany, July 17, 2024
sterna biologicals GmbH (sterna), a clinical-stage immunology company developing novel treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases, today announced a strategic update to the development and commercialization of its lead therapeutic candidate, hgd40.
sterna's lead program, hgd40, features a unique catalytic antisense oligonucleotide known as a DNAzyme. This first-in-class, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory therapy is designed to target the messenger RNA (mRNA) of GATA-3, a master transcription factor pivotal in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases. hgd40 has the potential to overcome the challenges that small molecules and monoclonal antibodies have when trying to make GATA-3 druggable. sterna has completed multiple phase lla clinical trials with data demonstrating encouraging efficacy and excellent safety across all indications. Pre-clinical studies are underway to evaluate hgd40 in oncology, following recent data that highlights GATA-3 as a promising therapeutic target for certain cancer types.
“We are optimistic about the potential of hgd40 to change the treatment landscape in a number of chronic inflammatory diseases” said Konstantin Petropoulos, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of sterna biologicals. “Our data so far support its excellent safety and have shown promising initial efficacy. Now we are actively looking for partners for the next stage of development to maximize the therapeutic potential of hgd40 in chronic inflammatory indications and oncology.”