Coya Therapeutics Announces Pipeline Expansion of COYA 302 to Include Frontotemporal Dementia & Parkinson’s Disease in Addition to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Coya Therapeutics, Inc. recently announced it is expanding its pipeline in neurodegenerative conditions for COYA 302 beyond ALS to include frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The company’s updated pipeline can be viewed here.

FTD and PD share a similar disease pathogenesis to ALS that is associated with a heightened proinflammatory cascade involving dysfunctional Tregs and proinflammatory microglia and macrophages. The biological redundancies in molecular immune pathways in these complex diseases limit the efficacy of many single drug therapies, requiring the development of novel therapeutics that can address this pathophysiologic complexity.

Dr. Fred Grossman, Coya’s President and Chief Medical Officer, said “ALS, FTD, and PD are driven by a similar, yet complex, proinflammatory environment that requires targeting more than a single pathway. COYA 302 has been designed to target multiple pathways, such as restoring dysfunctional Tregs and inhibiting proinflammatory microglia and macrophages, and may have disease modifying potential in these severe diseases with high unmet need.”

COYA 302 is a dual-mechanism investigational biologic combination immunotherapy comprised of proprietary low dose IL-2 and fusion protein CTLA-4 Ig. Low dose IL-2 enhances anti-inflammatory Treg function and numbers while the fusion protein CTLA-4 Ig suppress proinflammatory cell function, enabling potentially synergistic mechanisms in modulating inflammatory pathways and restoring immune balance. COYA 302 has the potential to be disease modifying by targeting multiple dysregulated immune pathways while restoring function in anti-inflammatory Treg function.

Coya intends to file an IND for COYA 302 for the treatment of ALS in the first half of 2024 and an IND for COYA 302 for the treatment of FTD before the end of 2024. In addition, studies in animal models of PD are planned in 2024, and based on those studies, a subsequent IND filing is anticipated for the treatment of PD.

Howard H. Berman, PhD, Coya’s CEO, said “Our vision has always been to leverage the potential of Tregs in neurodegenerative diseases. With COYA 302, we have taken a page from the playbook of oncology and viral disease where combination therapies have been transformational. We believe that the complementary and possibly synergistic multi-mechanism mode of action of COYA 302 in targeting the complex immune environment will lead to promising clinical outcomes in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.”

The Company also announces its key milestones and catalysts anticipated in 2024, including:

H1 2024:

• COYA 302 File IND and Initiate Phase 2 Trial in ALS Patients
• COYA 302 Publication of Phase 1 Investigator Initiated Trial clinical data in ALS Patients
• COYA 302 Publication of Longitudinal Biomarker study with correlation to patient survival in ALS Patients
• COYA 302 Presentation on Longitudinal Biomarker Data in ALS Patients at Conference
• COYA 301 Presentation of Phase 1 Investigator Initiated Trial data in AD Patients at 18^th annual AD + PD Conference

H2 2024:

• COYA 302 First patient dosed in Phase 2 Trial in ALS Patients
• COYA 302 File IND and Initiate Phase 2 Trial in FTD Patients
• COYA 302 Animal data released in PD model
• COYA 301 Proof of Concept combination data with Drug X in AD mouse model
• COYA 301 Phase 2 Investigator Initiated Trial Topline AD data Presented (Summer)

COYA 302 is an investigational and proprietary biologic combination therapy with a dual immunomodulatory mechanism of action intended to enhance the anti-inflammatory function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and suppress the inflammation produced by activated monocytes and macrophages. COYA 302 is comprised of proprietary low dose interleukin-2 (LD IL-2) and CTLA-4 Ig and is being developed for subcutaneous administration for the treatment of patients with ALS. These mechanisms may have additive or synergistic effects.

In February of 2023, Coya announced results from a proof-of-concept, open-label clinical study evaluating LD IL-2 and CTLA-4 Ig in a small cohort of patients with ALS conducted at the Houston Methodist Research Institute (Houston, Texas) by Stanley Appel, MD, Jason Thonhoff, MD, PhD, and David Beers, PhD. This study was the first-of-its-kind evaluating this dual-mechanism immunotherapy for the treatment of ALS. Patients in the study received investigational treatment for 48 consecutive weeks and were evaluated for safety and tolerability, Treg function, serum biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, and clinical functioning as measured by the ALSFRS-R scale.

During the 48-week treatment period, the therapy was well tolerated. The most common adverse event was mild injection-site reactions. No patient discontinued the study, and no deaths or other serious adverse events were reported.

Patients’ disease progression was measured using the ALSFRS-R scale, a validated rating tool for monitoring the progression of disability in patients with ALS. The mean (±SD) ALSFRS-R scores at week 24 (33.75 ±3.3) and week 48 (32 ±7.8) after initiation of treatment were not statistically different compared to the ALSFRS-R score at baseline (33.5 ±5.9), suggesting significant amelioration in the progression of the disease over the 48-week treatment period.

Treg suppressive function, expressed as percentage of inhibition of proinflammatory T cell proliferation, showed a statistically significant increase over the course of the treatment period and was significantly reduced at the end of the 8-week washout post-treatment period. Treg suppressive function at 24 weeks (79.9 ±9.6) and 48 weeks (89.5 ±4.1) were significantly higher compared to baseline (62.1 ±8.1) (p<0.01), suggesting enhanced and durable Treg suppressive function over the course of treatment. In contrast, Treg suppressive function (mean ±SD) was significantly decreased at the end of the 8-week washout period compared to end-of-treatment at week 48 (70.3 ±8.1 vs. 89.5 ±4.1, p <0.05).

The study also evaluated serum biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxides. The available data up to 16 weeks after initiation of treatment suggest a decrease in these biomarker levels, which is consistent with the observed enhancement of Treg function. The evaluation of the full biomarker data is ongoing.

COYA 302 is an investigational product not yet approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a rare neurological disease that affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. About 20,000 people live with ALS in the US and approximately 5,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. The disease is progressive, meaning the symptoms get worse over time. The functional status of ALS patients declines about 1 point per month on average, as measured by the Revised ALS Function Rating Scale, or ALSFRS-R, a validated tool to monitor the progression of the disease.

ALS has no cure, and the currently approved drug treatments provide limited benefit to patients. ALS is a type of motor neuron disease. As motor neurons degenerate and die, they stop sending messages to the muscles, which causes the muscles to weaken, start to twitch (fasciculations), and waste away (atrophy). Eventually, the brain loses its ability to initiate and control voluntary movements. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within three to five years from when the symptoms first appear.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Many possible symptoms can result, including unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work, or difficulty with walking. FTD is rare and tends to occur at a younger age than other forms of dementia. About 60% of people with FTD are 45 to 64 years old. FTD is progressive, meaning symptoms get worse over time. In the early stages, people may have just one symptom. As the disease progresses, other symptoms appear as more parts of the brain are affected. It is difficult to predict how long someone with FTD will live. Some people live more than 10 years after diagnosis, while others live less than two years after they are diagnosed. There is no cure for FTD, and no treatments slow or stop the progression of the disease.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. The most prominent manifestations of PD occur when nerve cells in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that controls movement, become impaired or die. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. They may also have mental and behavioral changes, sleep problems, depression, memory difficulties, and fatigue. Most people with PD first develop the disease after age 60, but about 10% experience onset before the age of 50. There is no cure for PD, and currently available treatments are intended to relieve some symptoms.

Headquartered in Houston, TX, Coya Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: COYA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing proprietary treatments focused on the biology and potential therapeutic advantages of regulatory T cells (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 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. COYA 301 is a cytokine biologic for subcutaneous administration intended to enhance Treg function and expand Treg numbers in vivo. COYA 302 is a biologic combination for subcutaneous and/or intravenous administration intended to enhance Treg function while depleting T effector function and activated macrophages. These two mechanisms may be additive or synergistic in suppressing inflammation. For more information, visit www.coyatherapeutics.com.