According to a story from Healio, the pharmaceutical company Revolo Biotherapeutics has been developing ‘1104, a peptide with a mechanism that ‘resets’ the immune system to pre-empt the appearance of inflammatory reactions. In a phase 2a clinical trial, participants living with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) saw a reduction in count of esophageal intraepithelial eosinophils, a potential indicator that it could be a useful treatment.

About Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), is a condition in which the esophagus becomes inflamed due to an allergic reaction that involves the activity of eosinophils, a form of white blood cell. Generally, the allergic reaction is triggered by some type of food that the patient has eaten, but it is often difficult to determine which specific food item is the cause. Symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis include difficulty swallowing, nausea, painful swallowing, heartburn, rings in the esophagus, narrowing of the esophagus, blockage of the esophagus, and vomiting. Current treatments involve medication to suppress the immune response, eliminating known food allergens, and expanding the esophagus. Many people with the condition also have other autoimmune problems, such as celiac disease or asthma. To learn more about eosinophilic esophagitis, click here.

About the Trial

Three cohorts of 12 patients each were involved in the trial. One was used as a control group while the others took different dose levels of ‘1104. The full treatment period lasted 30 days, and patients received intravenous doses once a week. Aside from a dose-dependent reduction in esophageal intraepithelial eosinophils, patients also saw increased amounts of T cells and B cells that are responsible for modulating and suppressing inflammatory immune response cascades. 

Furthermore, a gene expression panel specific to the disease also saw changes in the expression of key genes related to eosinophilic esophagitis. Healio conducted a Q & A with Roly Foulkes, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer with Revolo. Roly claims that ‘1104 should have advantages over current therapies, like steroids, because it doesn’t suppress the immune system. Instead, it resets the immune response, allowing for a broader anti-inflammatory effect. 

Foulkes also pointed out that the treatment has had a good safety and toleration profile during the phase 2 study. Overall, ‘1104 has the potential to improve outcomes and quality of life in eosinophilic esophagitis.