KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced data in support of the Company’s development activities in diabetic macular edema (DME) from an oral presentation at The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2018 Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: KALV), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule protease inhibitors, today announced data in support of the Company’s development activities in diabetic macular edema (DME) from an oral presentation at The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2018 Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.
“Our findings are consistent with our belief that oral plasma kallikrein inhibitors may provide an opportunity to reduce the edematous effects of VEGF in diabetic macular edema patients,” said Andrew Crockett, Chief Executive Officer of KalVista. “We continue to evaluate potential oral compounds for treatment of diabetic macular edema in our preclinical research while our intravitreal compound for DME, KVD001, enrolls a Phase 2 clinical trial.”
The study investigated the effects of an orally administered plasma kallikrein inhibitor KV123833 on VEGF-induced retinal edema in mice. KV123833 is a novel, potent, and highly selective plasma kallikrein inhibitor with a 3nM Ki for plasma kallikrein and selectivity of 1000-fold over related serine proteases. In the study, KV123833 was administered both subcutaneously and orally, to evaluate the comparative efficacy of both routes of administration. Efficacious plasma exposure of drug for both subcutaneous administration and oral dosing experiments was confirmed using an ex vivo plasma kallikrein activity. Retinal exposure following systemic administration of KV123833 was about 0.6 ng/mg retinal tissue and intravitreal injection of VEGF increased drug concentrations in the retina by 2-fold (p=0.038). VEGF-induced retinal vascular permeability in mice was decreased by 85% (p=0.0076) and 86% (p=0.028) in mice receiving subcutaneous administration and orally administered KV123833, respectively. These data demonstrate that orally administered KV123833 is highly effective in reducing VEGF-induced retinal edema in mice, and displays similar efficacy to subcutaneous administration.
About KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule protease inhibitors for diseases with significant unmet need. The initial focus is on inhibitors of plasma kallikrein, which is an important component of the body’s inflammatory response and which, in excess, can lead to increased vascular permeability, edema and inflammation. KalVista has developed a proprietary portfolio of novel, small molecule plasma kallikrein inhibitors initially targeting hereditary angioedema (HAE) and diabetic macular edema (DME). The Company has created a structurally diverse portfolio of oral plasma kallikrein inhibitors and is advancing multiple drug candidates into Phase 1 clinical trials for HAE. KalVista’s most advanced program, an intravitreally administered plasma kallikrein inhibitor known as KVD001, has successfully completed its first-in-human study in patients with DME and began a Phase 2 clinical trial in 2017.
For more information, please visit www.kalvista.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what we expect. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, available funding, our cash runway and future clinical trial timing and results. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect our business and its financial results are detailed in the annual report on Form 10-K filed on July 27, 2017, our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other reports as filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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Contacts
KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Leah Monteiro, 857-999-0808
Director, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
leah.monteiro@kalvista.com
Source: KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc.