Conduit Pharmaceuticals Provides R&D Update on Progress for Pipeline Assets

Conduit Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently provided an R&D update on the development progress of pipeline assets AZD1656, AZD5658, and AZD5904. The Company has made significant progress with respect to confirmatory pre-clinical studies, clinical trial planning, formulation development, and intellectual property (IP) expansion to position its pipeline for continued success. These exciting developments underscore Conduit’s momentum and near-term potential.

Conduit has partnered with Charles River Laboratories Inc. to conduct preclinical studies evaluating its glucokinase inhibitors towards applications in autoimmune diseases, with an initial focus on lupus. The study aims to assess the impact of drug on disease progression in a well-established lupus model, using standard disease progression readouts, while also evaluating its effect on inflammatory markers and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, with a focus on Treg immunoregulation. This study is expected to generate critical data on the therapeutic potential, informing future clinical development plans with results anticipated in Q2 2025, with a view to potentially increasing the probability of subsequent clinical trial success.

In parallel, Conduit continues to optimize the protocol for the design of its Phase II clinical trial for AZD1656. The trial will focus on two multisystem autoimmune diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with nephritis and ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). The current design is a single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, designed to provide robust data on the safety, tolerability, and mechanistic effects of AZD1656. The Company will provide further updates on the finalization of the trial design and contracting for the study.

At its research and development facility at Cambridge Science Park, Conduit is enhancing its IP portfolio and optimize the formulation of its pipeline assets. In the laboratory, the Company is evaluating the assets licensed through the AstraZeneca partnership and other assets of critical interest. Significant progress has also been made in securing intellectual property (IP) protection for Conduit’s lead asset, AZD1656. Recent milestones include the grant of a composition-of-matter patent for the AZD1656 Cocrystals by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and IP Australia, with pending applications at the USPTO and European Patent Office, and other global patent offices, expected to be approved early in the second quarter. In addition, Conduit is actively working to develop new solid forms of its key assets, including AZD1656, AZD5904 and AZD5658. These approvals and ongoing efforts are expected to strengthen Conduit’s IP portfolio and support its strategy of out-licensing and commercialization.

Through a strategic services agreement with Agility Life Sciences (“Agility”), a formulation development CDMO, Conduit is developing novel solid oral-dosage forms for its pipeline assets. Key activities include the development of proprietary solid forms for all autoimmune pipeline assets, protected by composition-of-matter IP, and collaboration with Agility to design enhanced oral dosage forms tailored to patient preferences and disease-specific needs. The development of proprietary forms of AZD1656, specifically tailored to unmet patient needs, are showing positive progress.

These efforts underscore Conduit’s commitment to advancing its pipeline and delivering innovative treatments for autoimmune disorders. The Company expects key results and critical milestones to be reached in the near term, positioning Conduit for exciting growth and development.

Conduit is a multi-asset clinical stage, life science company delivering an efficient model for compound development. Conduit both acquires and funds the development of Phase 2-ready assets, building an integrated and advanced platform-driven approach powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and cybernetics, and seeking an exit through third-party license deals following successful clinical trials. Led by a highly experienced team of pharmaceutical executives including Dr. David Tapolczay and Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, this novel approach is a departure from the traditional pharma/biotech business model of taking assets through regulatory approval.