Vanqua Bio to Present Pre-Clinical Data on VQ-201, a Next Generation C5aR1 Antagonist for the Treatment of Inflammatory Disorders

CHICAGO, Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vanqua Bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced that the company will present at the 8th Annual Complement-Based Drug Development Summit, which will be held in Boston on December 10 – 12.

The presentation will focus on Vanqua’s development candidate VQ-201, an allosteric small molecule C5aR1 antagonist targeting complement-mediated inflammation associated with peripheral inflammatory disorders. In addition to VQ-201, the presentation will also cover Vanqua’s first-in-class CNS-penetrant C5aR1 antagonists. Inhibition of C5aR1 in the central nervous system is an attractive approach to several conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, to reduce neuroinflammation and slow disease progression.

Vanqua Bio Presentation Information:
Title: Discovery of Next Generation C5aR1 Antagonists for Peripheral and CNS Indications: Enhancing Target Coverage While Reducing Safety Liabilities
Session date and time: Thursday, December 12, at 12:00 PM ET
Presenter:  Kevin Hunt, Ph.D., CSO

“Targeting the complement system has been clinically validated across several inflammatory disorders. C5aR1 is a uniquely attractive target within the complement system, as it avoids the safety risks of upstream components of the pathway,” said Jim Sullivan, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Vanqua Bio. “Selectively targeting the C5aR1 receptor offers the opportunity to address disease states driven by leukocyte pathophysiology.”

In preclinical studies, VQ-201 robustly blocks C5a-mediated chemotaxis and activation of pathogenic immune cells in vitro. In vivo, VQ-201 protects renal function in a mouse model of autoantibody driven renal diseases. VQ-201 demonstrated a promising profile in preclinical non-GLP safety and tolerability studies and is projected to be administered once daily in humans. In addition to improved potency, VQ-201 lacks the structural liabilities of first-generation small molecule C5aR1 antagonists; these liabilities have been linked to idiosyncratic hepatoxicity. Vanqua expects to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in early 2026. The profiles of CNS-penetrant C5aR1 antagonists will also be presented.

About Vanqua Bio

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Chicago, Vanqua Bio is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing next-generation medicines that have the potential to transform the lives of patients with neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. Our technology platform utilizes human genetics and patient-derived CNS cells to identify, validate, and clinically translate novel disease pathways associated with lysosomal dysfunction or aberrant activation of the innate immune system. Initially, we are targeting glucocerebrosidase (GCase) as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Additional programs address overactivation of the innate immune system in peripheral and central inflammatory disorders, including renal, dermatologic and neurodegenerative diseases. For more information, go to www.vanquabio.com.

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