Protagonists kicks off phase 2 testing PTG-300 with patients with beta thalassemia

Protagonist Therapeutics has started injecting mimetic peptide (PTG-300) into patients with beta thalassemia, in a study of the treatment for this rare disease, expecting results in second half 2019.

Protagonist said in a statement that the Phase 2 study will test PTG-300 in patients with transfusion-dependent or non-transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia, reminding that in a completed Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers, administration of PTG-300 was well tolerated and demonstrated a dose-related and sustained reduction in serum iron levels.

Dinesh V. Patel, Protagonist President and CEO said that PTG-300 has broad potential in the treatment of other disorders, including hereditary hemochromatosis and the myeloproliferative neoplasms polycythemia vera and myelodysplastic syndrome. He said that the we could see the Phase 2 trial initial results in the second half of 2019. “We are actively evaluating additional disease indications for development of PTG-300 and plan to commence on a second indication in the second half of 2019,” Patel said.