17 May 2022 - - US-based biotechnology company Lassen Therapeutics presented new preclinical data on LASN01, a novel interleukin-11 (IL-11) receptor-blocking antibody, Tuesday, May 17 at the American Thoracic Society annual meeting being held in San Francisco, the company said.

The data demonstrate that LASN01 is a potent inhibitor of IL-11 signaling and shows anti-fibrotic effects in multiple preclinical models.

Highlights of the translational data presented on LASN01 are as follows:
In vitro assays demonstrated potent blockade of IL-11-stimulated signaling by LASN01 and inhibition of TGF-β-stimulated collagen expression by patient-derived IPF fibroblasts.

In ex vivo assays using normal human lung tissue, LASN01 inhibited TGF-β-stimulated production of the fibrotic markers procollagen type I and tissue inhibitor of metallopeptidase 1 (TIMP1), and reduced collagen neo-epitope release from slices of diseased IPF lung tissue.

Inhibition of IL-11R signaling also showed an anti-fibrotic effect in animal models of IPF.

Studies showed a statistically significant reduction in lung fibrosis in both prophylactic and therapeutic models, concomitant with decreases in macrophage populations.

In addition, LASN01 was shown to be well-tolerated with no obvious toxicity in a multiple dose study of non-human primates and is rapidly advancing toward clinical evaluation.

Lassen Therapeutics develops breakthrough antibodies as potential treatments for fibrosis, rare diseases, and oncology.

The company's lead candidate is LASN01, a best-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting IL-11 receptor (IL-11R). IL-11, a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, is a central mediator of fibrosis and blocking its activity has the potential to be safer than and additive to other anti-fibrotic therapeutic approaches.

IL-11 is also an important effector of tumor microenvironment organization, playing a key role as a mediator between cancer and stromal cells.