On August 13, 2024 aTyr Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATYR) ("aTyr" or the "Company"), a clinical stage biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of first-in-class medicines from its proprietary tRNA synthetase platform, reported second quarter 2024 results and provided a corporate update (Press release, aTyr Pharma, AUG 13, 2024, View Source [SID1234645828]).

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"The second quarter of 2024 was a milestone quarter for aTyr, as we completed enrollment in our global pivotal Phase 3 EFZO-FIT study of efzofitimod in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, a major form of interstitial lung disease (ILD)," said Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S., President and Chief Executive Officer of aTyr. "This landmark study is the largest interventional study ever to be conducted in sarcoidosis and presents an opportunity to deliver a potentially transformative therapy to sarcoidosis patients who have been waiting more than 60 years for a new drug to be approved for this disease. We look forward to releasing topline data from this study in the third quarter of 2025."

Second Quarter 2024 and Subsequent Period Highlights

Completed enrollment in the global pivotal Phase 3 EFZO-FIT study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of efzofitimod in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 52-week study consisting of three parallel cohorts randomized equally to either 3.0 mg/kg or 5.0 mg/kg of efzofitimod or placebo dosed intravenously monthly for a total of 12 doses. The study enrolled 268 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis at 85 centers in 9 countries, exceeding the targeted enrollment. Topline data from the study are expected in the third quarter of 2025. Patients who complete the study and wish to receive treatment with efzofitimod outside of the clinical trial are eligible to participate in an Individual Patient Expanded Access Program (EAP).
Continued enrollment in the Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT study to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of efzofitimod in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc, or scleroderma)-related ILD (SSc-ILD). This proof-of-concept study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 28-week study consisting of three parallel cohorts randomized 2:2:1 to either 270 mg or 450 mg of efzofitimod or placebo dosed intravenously monthly for a total of 6 doses. The study intends to enroll up to 25 patients with SSc-ILD and is open for enrollment at multiple centers in the U.S. Patients who complete the study and wish to receive ongoing treatment with efzofitimod are eligible to participate in a 24-week open-label extension (OLE), which was recently incorporated into the study protocol. Based on current enrollment projections, the Company expects to report interim data from the study in the second quarter of 2025.
Presented a poster describing efzofitimod’s mechanism of action at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2024 International Conference. The findings further demonstrated that neuropilin-2 (NRP2), efzofitimod’s binding partner, is an important new immune target in ILD and that efzofitimod modulates myeloid cells to confer its anti-inflammatory benefit.
Entered into a research agreement with Stanford Medicine to explore the role of the Company’s anti-NRP2 antibodies in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Michael Lim, M.D., Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford Medicine, will serve as the principal investigator for the study, which aims to explore the role anti-NRP2 antibodies in combination with chemotherapy to evaluate their role in reversing immune evasion in GBM, the most common type of primary brain cancer.
Appointed Jayant Aphale, Ph.D., as Vice President, Technical Operations. Dr. Aphale has more than 30 years of experience working in technical operations and manufacturing for novel therapeutic and vaccine products at biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Aphale will serve as a member of the Company’s executive leadership team, overseeing manufacturing activities at contract development and manufacturing organizations and implementing strategies related to the continuous improvement of commercial manufacturing, supply chain management, process development of new products and product life cycle management.
Second Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights and Cash Position

Cash & Investment Position: Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments as of June 30, 2024, were $81.4 million.
R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $14.0 million for the second quarter 2024, which consisted primarily of clinical trial costs for the Phase 3 EFZO-FIT and Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT studies, manufacturing costs for the efzofitimod program and research and development costs for the efzofitimod and discovery programs.
G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $3.3 million for the second quarter 2024.
About Efzofitimod

Efzofitimod is a first-in-class biologic immunomodulator in clinical development for the treatment of interstitial lung disease (ILD), a group of immune-mediated disorders that can cause inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring, of the lungs. Efzofitimod is a tRNA synthetase derived therapy that selectively modulates activated myeloid cells through neuropilin-2 to resolve inflammation without immune suppression and potentially prevent the progression of fibrosis. aTyr is currently investigating efzofitimod in the global Phase 3 EFZO-FIT study in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, a major form of ILD, and in the Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT study in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc, or scleroderma)-related ILD. These forms of ILD have limited therapeutic options and there is a need for safer and more effective, disease-modifying treatments that improve outcomes.