Keros Therapeutics, Inc. ("Keros"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has recently announced a collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital ("MGH") for the design of a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate Rinvatercept in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ("ALS") within the Healey ALS Mymatch program. This collaboration is in response to the Healey & AMG Center's call for applications for the ALS Mymatch program.
The ALS Mymatch program, led by the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General Brigham, aims to accelerate the development of new therapies for ALS by utilizing biomarker-driven personalized trial approaches. It matches subgroups of ALS individuals to various experimental therapies based on their disease markers.
Keros expressed pride in being selected for the ALS Mymatch program, emphasizing that Rinvatercept represents a potentially novel approach to treat patients with ALS. The company believes there is a strong scientific rationale for the potential of Rinvatercept to preserve muscle strength and function and improve the quality of life in ALS patients.
The Healey ALS Mymatch program is a multi-site, collaborative initiative that currently brings together four trial-ready, high-enrolling ALS research centers. These include Mass General in Boston, University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Northwestern University in Evanston, and Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. The program has also partnered with the Acceleration Centers of Enrollment (ACE) program to expedite start-up and recruitment at study centers.
Rinvatercept, the novel ligand trap being evaluated in this collaboration, is designed to inhibit the biological effects of myostatin and activin A, which are negative regulators of muscle and bone mass and strength, with the goal of improving skeletal muscle regeneration, increasing muscle size and strength, and reducing fat accumulation.
Keros is a leader in understanding the role of the TGF-ß family of proteins and is focused on developing and commercializing novel therapeutics to treat a wide range of patients with disorders linked to dysfunctional signaling of these proteins. The company's lead product candidate, Rinvatercept, is being developed for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and ALS. Additionally, Keros' most advanced product candidate, Elritercept, is being developed for the treatment of cytopenias, including anemia and thrombocytopenia, in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and myelofibrosis. Today the company's shares have moved -2.08% to a price of $18.86. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
