Mediar Therapeutics Inc a Boston-based clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing first-in-class therapies designed to halt fibrosis, announced on Thursday that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 2 WISPer clinical trial evaluating MTX-463, an investigational therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

The study's primary endpoint is the change from baseline in forced vital capacity (FVC) -- an important measure of lung function -- at 24 weeks. The study aims to advance the development of a potential novel treatment for patients living with IPF, and targets the myofibroblast, the key pathogenic cell in fibrosis. Mediar recently entered into a global licensing agreement with US-based Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) to advance MTX-463 through the Phase 2 WISPer trial.

MTX-463 is a first-in-class human IgG1 antibody developed against WNT1-inducible signalling pathway protein-1 (WISP1). WISP1 is a secreted matricellular protein shown to have a relevant role in fibrosis progression. According to Mediar, data indicates that MTX-463 neutralises WISP1-mediated fibrotic signalling and significantly reduced fibrosis in vitro and in various preclinical models.