InnoCare Announces First Psoriasis Patient Dosed in Clinical Trial of TYK2 Allosteric Inhibitor ICP-488 in China

BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--InnoCare Pharma (HKEX: 09969; SSE: 688428), a leading biopharmaceutical company focusing on the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced today the first psoriasis patient has been dosed in clinical trial of the Company’s TYK2 (tyrosine kinase 2) JH2 allosteric inhibitor ICP-488 in China.

In phase I clinical trial, the single ascending doses (SAD) and multiple ascending doses (MAD) have been completed with ICP-488, demonstrating well-tolerated safety profile. The ongoing study with psoriasis patients aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ICP-488 in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

ICP-488 is a potent and selective TYK2 allosteric inhibitor, which is developed for the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune diseases. By binding the JH2 domain, ICP-488 blocks the signal transduction of IL-23, IL-12, type 1 IFN and other inflammatory cytokine, thereby inhibiting the pathological process of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Dr. Jasmine Cui, the co-founder, Chairwoman and CEO of InnoCare said, “There are significant unmet needs for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis. InnoCare is developing autoimmune therapeutics with global frontier targets through B-cell and T-cell pathways, including orelabrutinib (BTK inhibitor), ICP-332 (TYK2-JH1 inhibitor), ICP-488 (TYK2-JH2 inhibitor), and more. We will accelerate clinical development of the innovative drugs and look forward to providing better treatment options for patients with autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis early.”

The number of patients with psoriasis in China has reached seven million approximately¹, and the incidence rate of psoriasis is about 0.12% - 0.5%, with an upward trend². Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disorder that can impair patients’ physical health, quality of life, and work productivity. The current treatment options cannot fully meet the treatment needs of psoriasis, and there is a significant unmet demand for new drugs, especially oral drugs. Many patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis remain persistently undertreated or even untreated, with only 25% being completely satisfied³.

About InnoCare

InnoCare is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class and/or best-in-class drugs for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases with unmet medical needs in China and worldwide. InnoCare has branches in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and United States.

¹ Epidemiological Investigation on Psoriasis
² Progress in Epidemiological Investigation of Psoriasis, Journal of Diagnostics Concepts & Practice. 2021.
³ Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Psoriasis (2018). Chinese Journal of Dermatology. 2019. Research on the Situation of Psoriasis Healthcare in China based on the Global Monitoring Project of Psoriasis and the Causal Relationship between Psoriasis and Obesity and Type II Diabetes. 2020