Electra Therapeutics' ELA026, a novel antibody therapy targeting signal regulatory proteins (SIRP), has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for the treatment of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). This designation marks a significant step forward in addressing the unmet medical need for HLH, a rare and life-threatening hyperinflammatory disease. HLH occurs when the immune system attacks the body instead of fighting infections, and it can manifest as primary HLH due to genetic mutations or secondary HLH (sHLH) triggered by conditions like cancer, infection, or autoimmune diseases.
Promising Phase 1b Results
Recent findings from an ongoing open-label, multi-dose, single-arm, multicenter Phase 1b study have demonstrated the potential of ELA026 in treating sHLH. The study assessed the safety and efficacy of ELA026 in individuals with sHLH and revealed a 100% overall response rate by week 4 in treatment-naïve malignancy-associated HLH (mHLH) patients, along with improved survival at 2 months. Furthermore, ELA026 exhibited a favorable safety profile and high response rates across the sHLH patient population.
Swaminathan P Iyer, MD, professor in the department of lymphoma/myeloma at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, noted, "These data show very promising results for ELA026 as a potential treatment for sHLH, which is a challenging disease that is devastating for patients and has no approved treatment options."
Mechanism of Action and Clinical Development
ELA026 is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody that targets SIRP on the surface of myeloid cells and T lymphocytes, which are the pathological immune cells responsible for hyperinflammation in sHLH. The ongoing Phase 1b trial is expanding to include 20 individuals in cohort 3 to further evaluate ELA026 as a frontline therapy for individuals with differing sHLH subtypes.
Kim-Hien Dao, DO, PhD, chief medical officer of Electra Therapeutics, stated, "The orphan drug designation is an important milestone in ELA026’s clinical development in sHLH. This designation underscores the high unmet medical need in sHLH and supports our continued efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of ELA026 in depleting the pathogenic immune cells responsible for the cytokine storm and addressing the high early mortality observed in this disease."
Addressing Unmet Needs in sHLH
Secondary HLH is characterized by a high mortality rate, particularly in the initial months following diagnosis. The absence of approved treatments for sHLH underscores the urgent need for effective therapies. ELA026's ability to target and deplete pathogenic immune cells offers a promising approach to mitigate the hyperinflammation and improve survival rates in sHLH patients. The expansion of the Phase 1b trial will provide further insights into the safety and efficacy of ELA026 across various sHLH subtypes, potentially paving the way for a new standard of care.
