United States-based Catabasis Pharmaceuticals is restructuring its resources to focus on late-stage lead program, Edasalonexent, intended for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), it was reported yesterday.

The company is prioritising this program to deliver against its goal of bringing a life changing therapy to those affected by DMD.

The restructuring will reduce the firm's workforce by around 42%. As a result of the program focusing and corresponding workforce restructuring, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2018, the company estimates annualised savings of around USD3.3m in personnel-related costs, with estimated one-time severance and related costs of approximately USD1m in the second quarter of 2018.

In the Phase 2 MoveDMD trial and open-label extension, edasalonexent has demonstrated consistent and sustained slowing of disease progression in boys with DMD through more than a year of treatment compared to the off-treatment control period.