BofA warns Fed risks policy mistake with early rate cuts
BOSTON - PureTech Health plc (Nasdaq:PRTC, LSE: PRTC), currently rated with "GOOD" financial health according to InvestingPro analysis, has established a new Founded Entity, Celea Therapeutics, to advance deupirfenidone (LYT-100) into Phase 3 clinical trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a company statement released at the 2025 IPF Summit.
The drug demonstrated promising results in the Phase 2b ELEVATE IPF trial, showing a statistically significant reduction in lung function decline compared to placebo over 26 weeks. Patients treated with deupirfenidone 825 mg three times daily experienced a decline of -21.5 mL versus -112.5 mL in the placebo group.
Initial data from an ongoing open-label extension study indicates the treatment effect was sustained through 52 weeks, with patients showing a decline of -32.8 mL over the one-year period, similar to the natural decline in healthy older adults.
The company reported that deupirfenidone, a deuterated form of pirfenidone, achieved approximately 50% higher drug exposure than standard pirfenidone without increased tolerability issues. This potentially addresses limitations of current IPF treatments, which often face adherence challenges due to side effects.
Research presented at the summit revealed that 69% of IPF patients surveyed preferred treatments offering greater efficacy over improved tolerability, suggesting potential market receptivity for the new therapy.
Celea Therapeutics will be led by Sven Dethlefs, PhD, who brings experience in respiratory therapeutics. The company plans to discuss Phase 3 trial design with the FDA that builds upon the ELEVATE IPF study methodology.
Additional data from the open-label extension study will be presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in September 2025, according to the press release. Investors following PureTech Health should note the company’s upcoming earnings report on August 28, 2025. For deeper insights into PureTech’s financial health and growth prospects, including 11 additional exclusive ProTips, visit InvestingPro.
In other recent news, Vedanta Biosciences announced that its experimental treatment for ulcerative colitis, VE202, did not meet the primary endpoint in a Phase 2 clinical trial. The COLLECTiVE202 study, which included 114 patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis, showed no statistically significant difference in endoscopic response rates between the treatment group and placebo. Meanwhile, PureTech Health has launched Celea Therapeutics, a new entity aimed at developing treatments for serious respiratory diseases. Former Teva North America CEO Sven Dethlefs will lead Celea, which is focusing on deupirfenidone (LYT-100) for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, with plans to meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to discuss Phase 3 trial design. Additionally, PureTech Health announced that Raju Kucherlapati has stepped down as Chair and member of the Board of Directors. Sharon Barber-Lui, the company’s Audit Committee Chair, has been appointed as Interim Chair of the Board. Barber-Lui will lead the process to identify a new Board Chair and engage with shareholders for input.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.