PepGen shares promising early trial data for its muscular dystrophy drug
Biotech company PepGen announced that its experimental drug showed promising early results in treating a severe muscle disorder affecting over 100,000 people. Although PepGen entered the race relatively late, this data from six patients provides a much needed boost to the field, especially after a rival drug from Novartis recently failed in late-stage trials.
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PepGen announced on Tuesday that its experimental drug for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) has demonstrated promising early data based on a key measure. DM1 is a debilitating muscle disorder that usually strips patients of their strength and muscle control starting from adolescence, impacting over 100,000 individuals across the U.S. and Europe.
Although PepGen is considered a latecomer in developing treatments for this specific condition, the latest results come from a small group of six patients who received 12 weeks of treatment. This announcement arrives at a critical time for the industry. A rival company, Dyne Therapeutics, is currently nearing completion of a pivotal trial for its own DM1 treatment. Meanwhile, the entire field faced a major setback when Novartis announced that a DM1 drug it acquired through a massive $12 billion buyout of Avidity Biosciences failed to improve key muscle control measures in a Phase 3 trial.
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