aTyr Pharma

aTyr Pharma is a public biotherapeutics company (NASDAQ: LIFE)[1] that is focused on researching the extracellular functionality and signalling pathways of tRNA synthetases.

aTyr Pharma, Inc.
Public company
Traded as
IndustryBiotechnology, Pharmaceutical
Headquarters
San Diego 
,
United States of America 
Key people
Sanjay S Shukla, M.D., M.S., CEO & President
Paul Schimmel, Ph.D., Founder
Xiang-Lei Yang, Ph.D., Founder
Number of employees
44
Websitewww.atyrpharma.com

The company's lead product candidate, ATYR1923, is a selective modulator of Neuropilin-2 (NRP2) that downregulates both the innate and adaptive immune responses in inflammatory disease states. aTyr is developing ATYR1923 as a potential disease-modifying therapy for patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), a group of rare immune-mediated disorders that cause progressive fibrosis of the lung interstitium and remain a high unmet medical need. ATYR1923 is currently being investigated in a clinical trial in pulmonary sarcoidosis patients[2].

The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in San Diego, CA,[3][4] and led by CEO Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S.[5]

History

In 2005, aTyr was founded by Paul Schimmel, Ph.D., and Xiang-Lei Yang, Ph.D., two aminoacyl tRNA synthetase scientists at The Scripps Research Institute. In 2009, Bruce Beutler, M.D., recipient of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, joined aTyr as a member of the scientific advisory board.[6]

In April 2007, Polaris Partners and Alta Partners co-led a $10.5 million Series B financing.[7] In October 2010, Series C financing totaled $23 million and was led by Domain Associates.[8] This round was followed by a $49 million Series D in August 2013.[9]

aTyr was a winner of the 2011 Red Herring 100 North America Award for discovering and developing innovative medicines based on Physiocrine biology.[10]

In January 2015, aTyr announced its first FSHD patient enrolled in a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of Resolaris. In February and April of that same year, Resolaris received EMA Orphan Drug Designation and U.S. FDA Orphan Designation for treatment of FSHD.<ref>the pharma letter: EMA Orphan Drug status for aTyr’s Resolaris in FSHD (Feb. 18, 2015)</ref>

In April 2015, aTyr raised $76 million in a Series E, led by Sofinnova Ventures, and filed for an IPO.[11] The company began trading as LIFE on the Nasdaq stock exchange.[12][13]

In October 2015, aTyr initiated a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial on Resolaris for patients with LGMD2B and the following month initiated a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial in patients with early onset FSHD.[14][15] aTyr's second IND candidate, ATYR 1923, was selected in November 2015. ATYR 1923 is an engineered fusion protein. ATYR 1923 was developed for the potential treatment of severe pulmonary diseases with an immune and fibrotic component, including interstitial lung disease.[16]

Throughout 2016 and into the first half of 2017 aTyr released data on three Phase 1b/2 trials for Resolaris in adults with FSHD or LGMD2B, and early onset FSHD patients (ages 16–20). Data from these trials showed encouraging results for safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and pharmacokinetic profile, and signals of clinical activity in regards to muscle strength (Manual Muscle Testing) and disease burden (Individualized Neuromuscular Quality of Life score – INQoL).[17][18][19]

ATyr's primary focus is on ATYR1923, a clinical stage product candidate which binds to the NRP2 receptor and is designed to down regulate immune engagement in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). ATYR1923 is currently being investigated in a clinical trial in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. In January 2020, ATyr entered into a license with Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for the development and commercialization of ATYR1923 for ILDs in Japan. Under the license agreement, Kyorin received an exclusive right to develop and commercialize ATYR1923 in Japan for all forms of ILDs including, sarcoidosis, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP) and connective tissue disease ILD (CTD-ILD).[20]. aTyr recently initiated a clinical trial for ATYR1923 in patients with severe respiratory complications related to COVID-19.

Therapeutic concept

Homeostasis, or the coordinated regulation of tissues within the body, is fundamental to the maintenance of the overall health of an organism. Lack of homeostasis can lead to disease and death. The process of homeostasis was first described in 1865 by the French physiologist Claude Bernard and Walter Cannon later coined the term. In the 150 years since this discovery, many proteins associated with homeostatic pathways have been discovered, ranging from insulin to erythropoietin.

aTyr was founded after Dr. Schimmel discovered several nontranslational functions of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases, which are primarily responsible for the production of a vital component of protein synthesis, aminoacyl-tRNAs. [23] These nontranslational functions have since been shown to play an important role in maintaining homeostasis. [23] One of these nontranslational functions is modulation and regulation of the immune response. [23] This modulatory activity is a result of Physiocrines, a novel class of proteins that are present as biologically active signaling regions of the tRNA synthetases. aTyr's research is based on the premise that Physiocrines are involved in orchestrating homeostatic activities to help the body restore diseased or damaged tissue to a healthier state.[21]

By researching and understanding the role of Physiocrines in immune modulation, aTyr has developed two IND candidates.

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References
  1. "aTYR PHARMA INC (Form: 10-K, Received: 03/30/2016 16:28:57)". secfilings.nasdaq.com.
  2. "Study of Intravenous ATYR1923 for Pulmonary Sarcoidosis".
  3. Bloomberg: Company Overview of aTyr Pharma, Inc.
  4. Crunchbase: aTyr Pharma overview & timeline
  5. "Company Overview of aTyr Pharma, Inc". www.bloomberg.com.
  6. Biospace: Professor Bruce Beutler Joins aTyr Pharma Inc.'s Scientific Advisory Board (Aug. 3, 2009)
  7. San Diego Daily Transcript: aTyr Pharma closes $10.5 million Series B financing (April 18, 2007)
  8. FierceBiotech: Domain leads $23M round for aTyr Pharma (Oct. 26, 2010)
  9. San Diego Business Journal: aTyr Pharma Inc. Secures $59M In Funding (July 30, 2013)
  10. Red Herring: 2011 Top 100 North America
  11. Xconomy: ATyr Pharma Raises $76M Round to Advance Physiocrine Drugs by Bruce Bigelow (April 1, 2015)
  12. Xconomy: After raising $76M in Series E Round, aTyr Pharma Files for IPO by Bruce Bigelow (April 7, 2015)
  13. aTyr Pharma news release: aTyr Pharma, Inc. Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering (May 12, 2015)
  14. Muscular Dystrophy News Today: Early Onset FSHD Patients Focus of New Clinical Study (Nov. 13, 2015)
  15. PR Newswire: aTyr Pharma Initiates Phase 1b/2 Clinical Trial for Patients with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2B (Oct. 13, 2015)
  16. Lung Disease News: Novel Severe Lung Disease Drug Therapy Pushing Forward (Nov. 12, 2015)
  17. PR Newswire: aTyr Pharma Presents Additional Data for Resolaris™ Phase 1b/2 Trial in Adult Patients with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy at the 21st International Annual Congress of the World Muscle Society (Oct. 6, 2016)
  18. NASDAQ Globe Newswire: aTyr Pharma Presents Analyses of Resolaris Phase 1b/2 Trial in Patients with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2B and Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy at the American Academy of Neurology 69th Annual Meeting (April 24, 2016)
  19. NASDAQ Globe Newswire: aTyr Pharma Announces Promising Top-Line Results from Resolaris™ Phase 1b/2 Clinical Trial in Patients with Early Onset Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (April 24, 2017)
  20. SEC: SEC S-1 Funds (Jan. 17, 2020)
  21. Guo, M; Schimmel, P (March 2013). "Essential nontranslational functions of tRNA synthetases". Nat Chem Biol. 9 (3): 145–153. doi:10.1038/nchembio.1158. PMC 3773598. PMID 23416400.
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