Halia Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has completed enrollment in its Phase 2a clinical trial evaluating HT-6184 (Ofirnoflast) for patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who are refractory to, intolerant of, or ineligible for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA). The milestone represents a significant step forward in developing novel therapeutic approaches for this challenging hematologic malignancy.
Novel Mechanism Targets Inflammatory Pathways
HT-6184 operates through a unique mechanism of action as an allosteric modulator of NEK7 that disrupts the NEK7-NLRP3 protein interaction. This disruption prevents the formation of the NLRP3 inflammasome while also promoting the disassembly of pre-formed NLRP3 inflammasomes. The approach targets a key inflammatory pathway implicated in bone marrow dysfunction characteristic of myelodysplastic syndromes.
"Completing enrollment in our Phase 2a MDS study is a major milestone as we continue to validate our mechanism of action targeting innate immune dysregulation," said Dr. David Bearss, CEO of Halia Therapeutics. "This study provides important proof-of-concept data to support the therapeutic potential of HT-6184 in reducing clonal inflammation and improving hematologic outcomes for patients with symptomatic anemia."
Study Design and Patient Population
The open-label Phase 2a clinical trial (CTRI/2023/11/059758) employed a two-stage design, enrolling 18 evaluable patients in Stage 1 and completing enrollment of an additional 15 participants in Stage 2, for a total of 33 patients. The study specifically targets patients with lower-risk MDS who have limited treatment options due to ESA refractoriness, intolerance, or ineligibility.
The trial structure includes a 16-week treatment period followed by a response-based continuation phase. Patients who respond to treatment may continue therapy, while non-responders demonstrating greater than 30% reduction in variant allele frequency (VAF) clone size may receive up to 16 additional weeks of treatment, either as monotherapy or in combination with prior ESA therapy.
Comprehensive Endpoint Evaluation
The study's key objectives encompass multiple dimensions of therapeutic response. Primary evaluations focus on efficacy through hematological improvement, clonal suppression, and VAF reduction. Secondary assessments include safety and patient tolerance monitoring, changes in inflammasome-related biomarkers, and quality of life measurements using patient-reported outcome tools.
An interim analysis was conducted following completion of Stage 1, and topline results from the complete study are expected later this year. These results will provide crucial proof-of-concept data for the therapeutic potential of targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in MDS treatment.
Broader Pipeline Development
Halia Therapeutics has positioned itself as a company focused on targeting the innate immune system and harnessing genetic resilience, founded on research identifying protective mutations in individuals genetically predisposed to severe diseases. Beyond the current MDS trial, the company's pipeline includes HT-6184 in combination with semaglutide for a planned Phase 2a trial in obese and Type 2 diabetes patients, expected to initiate in the third quarter of 2025.
The company is also advancing HT-4253, a neuroinflammation-targeted candidate currently in an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT06537817), expected to conclude in the third quarter of 2025. This diversified approach reflects the company's strategy of applying inflammasome-targeting mechanisms across multiple therapeutic areas where inflammatory dysregulation plays a central role.
