Our CF program
CF is a rare, life-threatening, genetic disease affecting the lungs and the digestive system, impacting approximately 80,000 patients worldwide. CF patients carry a defective CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene and are classified based on their specific mutation of the CFTR gene. The Class II mutation is present in approximately 90% of CF patients, with Orkambi®1 A combination potentiator-corrector therapy marketed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. and Symdeko®2 A corrector-potentiator combination for CF patients with the Class II mutation; marketed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. being the only approved therapies for the underlying cause of CF in this mutation. Kalydeco®3 A potentiator drug (ivacaftor) marketed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. is a disease-modifying treatment for Class III and several residual function mutations, representing about 8% of total CF patients. The market for CF therapies is robust and growing. According to Vertex Pharmaceuticals, approximately 9,000 patients were treated with Vertex therapies in 2016, and this they expect to grow to approximately 75,000 patients by 2024. Combined sales of Kalydeco and Orkambi were approximately $2.2 billion in 2017.
Despite the approval of Kalydeco, Orkambi, and Symdeko, there is need for better therapies to improve pulmonary function for a large majority of the patient population. Though many pediatric patients have normal lung function at the time of diagnosis, physicians generally believe that earlier treatments can have downstream benefits for the patient by slowing the deterioration in lung function.
CF drug developers are focused on two types of disease-modifying CFTR modulators. Potentiator molecules aim to restore the flow of ions through an activated CFTR by influencing the channel’s opening. Corrector molecules aim to overcome defective protein processing by restoring proper folding of CFTR and allowing for increased cell surface expression. In order to improve CFTR function meaningfully for the largest patient group with Class II and other mutations, we believe a combination of medicines will be required, comprising a potentiator and two novel corrector (which we refer to as C1 and C2) molecules.
We believe that our candidate CF combination therapy may address the unmet need in CF patients with one or two copies of the F508del mutation. From 2005-2017, we focused on developing novel CF compounds to address the needs of Class II patients, and we believe we validated the potentiator and C1 corrector components in patient trials. In 2018 we expect to validate the final component, the C2 corrector, in a patient trial.
We aim to evaluate a once-daily, oral, triple combination CF therapy in patients starting in Q1 2018, with additional trials with novel CF compounds and triple combinations initiating throughout 2018. We developed a portfolio of lead and backup compounds from which to select the best potentiator and corrector molecules for our triple combination therapies. The first triple combination comprises GLPG2451, GLPG2222, and GLPG2737. The second comprises GLPG3067, GLPG2222, and GLPG2737.
1st triple combination
FALCON is a patient trial combining potentiator GLPG2451, C1 corrector GLPG2222, and C2 corrector GLPG2737 into a triple combination in CF patients homozygous for the Class II mutation.
2nd triple combination
The first healthy volunteer was dosed with a second novel investigational triple combination therapy comprising potentiator GLPG3067, C1 corrector GLPG2222, and C2 corrector GLPG2737 in a Phase 1 trial in Belgium. The aim of the Phase 1, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial is to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of multiple ascending doses of this second investigational triple combination therapy in up to 16 healthy volunteers. Topline results from this Phase 1 trial are expected to be presented at a future medical conference. We aim to evaluate this triple combination in patients, pending satisfactory completion of the Phase 1 trial.
3rd triple combination
We aim to evaluate a third triple combination comprising potentiator GLPG3067, C1 corrector GLPG2222, and C2 corrector GLPG3221 in both healthy volunteers and patients. We currently await the outcome of a Phase 1 trial with GLPG3221, which is expected in 2018.