Morphic Therapeutic Announces First Healthy Volunteers Dosed in Phase 1 Clinical Trial of MORF-057 - Seite 2

About MORF-057
Morphic is developing MORF-057 as a selective, oral small molecule inhibitor of the α₄β₇ integrin for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). α₄β₇ has been clinically validated as a target for the treatment of IBD by the success of the approved injectable antibody therapeutic vedolizumab. MORF-057 is designed to block the interactions between α₄β₇ on the surface of lymphocytes and the mucosal endothelial cell ligand MAdCAM-1, substantially reducing lymphocyte migration from the bloodstream into intestinal mucosal tissues and causing inflammation that is associated with IBD.

About Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) comprises several autoimmune and immune-mediated conditions characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are two most common types of IBD. In ulcerative colitis, inflammation is limited to the lining of the colon, whereas in Crohn’s disease inflammation can segmentally affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract through the entire thickness of the bowel wall. Symptoms of these conditions include persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fatigue. Approved medications may not adequately control symptoms for many patients, and some develop complications that require surgical removal of the colon and rectum. According to a report by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, as of November 2014, there were approximately 1,687,000 people living with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease in the United States, with 71,000 new cases diagnosed per year. Among FDA approved therapies for use in moderate to severe IBD is vedolizumab, an injectable monoclonal antibody inhibitor of the integrin α₄β₇.

About Morphic Therapeutic
Morphic Therapeutic is a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, including autoimmune, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, fibrosis and cancer. In collaboration with AbbVie, Janssen, and Schrödinger, Morphic is advancing its pipeline and discovery activities using its proprietary MInT technology platform which leverages the Company’s unique understanding of integrin structure and biology. For more information, visit www.morphictx.com.