Benzinga | Oct 22, 2021 07:08AM EDT

ASLAN Pharma Reports Scientific Collab With Dr. Emma Guttman-Yassky On Identification Of Co.'s ASLAN004-Specific Biomarkers

ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ASLN), a clinical-stage, immunology-focused biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments to transform the lives of patients, today announced a collaboration with renowned inflammatory skin disease expert Dr Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD PhD, to conduct research that will continue throughout ASLAN's Phase 2b program to identify and characterize the effects of ASLAN004 on disease-associated skin and serum-biomarkers in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD).

Dr Guttman-Yassky is Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a world leader on inflammatory skin diseases. Her research has led to significant breakthroughs in the understanding of the immunologic basis of AD, providing the scientific community with greater clarity on the pathophysiology of the disease, which is complex and multifactorial.

In the study, Dr Guttman-Yassky and her team will be evaluating a complex cadre of skin and serum biomarkers, including those from the T helper (Th) 2 and Th22 inflammatory pathways, known to play a critical role in the inflammation that is characteristic of AD. The study aims to provide insight into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of ASLAN004 that may correlate with clinical efficacy, by identifying the key biomarkers and pathways altered by ASLAN004 during the treatment period.

Dr Guttman-Yassky, Chair, Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, commented: "After the robust, early-stage, proof-of-concept data announced recently by ASLAN, I'm excited to be working with the ASLAN clinical team on employing biomarker strategies that will advance our understanding of ASLAN004 as a pathway-specific molecule in AD. There is a significant unmet need in this disease, and existing standards of care do not work for all patients, many of whom have different therapeutic needs or treatment preferences. I look forward to building upon the recent data set supportive of ASLAN004 as a potentially novel, differentiated treatment option for these patients."

Dr Guttman-Yassky has developed comprehensive molecular maps of AD, defining skin differentiation and immune-circuits characterizing this disease. She has established the reversibility of the AD phenotypes and defined a series of disease-specific, response-dependent biomarkers that are now accelerating testing of novel immune, pathway-specific drugs in this disease. Her research is the first to identify in humans a distinct population of T-cells that independently produce IL-22, conceptualizing AD as a Th2/Th22-polarized disease.

Dr Karen Veverka, Vice President, Medical, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, said "We are fortunate to be collaborating with Dr Guttman-Yassky and her team for our Phase 2b trial of ASLAN004 in moderate-to-severe AD patients and we expect to enroll the first patient in this study later this quarter. Advancing our knowledge about the effects of ASLAN004 in patients, while developing a deeper understanding of its differentiation versus other pathway-specific treatments, is an important next step in our development of ASLAN004 as a potential best-in-class, novel treatment option."