Alumis Inc. (Nasdaq: ALMS) has announced positive results from its Phase 1 clinical trial of A-005, a CNS-penetrant tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor, marking a potential advancement in treating neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. The trial, involving 135 healthy participants, demonstrated that A-005 effectively crosses the blood-brain barrier and achieves significant TYK2 inhibition. These findings pave the way for a Phase 2 trial in multiple sclerosis, planned for the second half of 2025.
Phase 1 Trial Highlights
The Phase 1 trial assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and tolerability of A-005 in single- and multiple-ascending doses. Key outcomes include:
- Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration: A-005 exhibited the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, with drug levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) comparable to or exceeding those in plasma.
- Safety and Tolerability: The therapy was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported.
- Pharmacokinetics: A-005 displayed dose-proportional increases in drug exposure, reaching peak concentration rapidly, with half-lives extending up to 12 hours.
- TYK2 Inhibition: The trial established a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship, demonstrating prolonged and maximal inhibition of TYK2 in the periphery, measured by levels of phosphorylated STAT proteins.
Clinical Significance
The ability of A-005 to penetrate the central nervous system (CNS) is a crucial factor for treating neuroinflammatory conditions. According to Alumis, A-005 is the first reported allosteric TYK2 inhibitor to demonstrate this capability in humans. Jörn Drappa, M.D., Alumis’ Chief Medical Officer, stated, “A-005 is the first reported allosteric TYK2 inhibitor that has demonstrated the ability to cross the human blood-brain barrier to address inflammation within the central nervous system (CNS). Based on these data, we expect to begin a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the second half of 2025.”
Mechanism of Action and Target Indication
A-005 is designed to inhibit TYK2, a protein that mediates signaling responses to key proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-23, IL-12, and interferon-alpha (IFNα). TYK2 inhibition has shown clinical validation in autoimmune conditions, and Alumis’ data analytics support its potential as a novel approach in CNS diseases. The initial target indication for A-005 is multiple sclerosis (MS), with potential applications in other neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions.
Future Directions
Alumis plans to present detailed data from the Phase 1 trial at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2025. The company is also gearing up to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in multiple sclerosis patients in the second half of 2025, building on the promising results from this Phase 1 study.
