Autotelic Bio (CEO Tai Kim), which is developing innovative RNA-based new drugs, announced on the 4th that it will initiate phase 3 clinical trials for a hybrid fixed dose combination new drug (ATB-101) for simultaneous treatment of hypertension and diabetes, which is being jointly developed with Jeil Pharmaceutical and Firson. 

Autotelic Bio's ATB-101 is an IMD (incrementally modified drug) of olmesartan, an anti-hypertension agent, and dapagliflozin, an oral diabetes treatment, and is a combination drug that can improve the convenience of taking medication for chronic disease patients suffering from both hypertension and diabetes. Hypertension and diabetes, which are representative chronic diseases, are the main causes of heart and brain diseases and chronic kidney disease. It is known that about 60% of the 400 million diabetes patients worldwide suffer from high blood pressure. 

After successfully completing two phase 1 clinical trials, including PK (pharmacokinetics) and DDI (drug-drug interactions), in the second half of last year, Autotelic Bio received IND approval for the phase 3 clinical trial of ATB-101 in May from MFDS. This phase 3 clinical trial is planned to be conducted on patients with essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes at about 20 major hospitals in Korea, and has submitted for IRB approval with the goal of enrolling the first patient in August of this year.

In addition to ATB-101, Autotelic Bio is also focused on developing RNA-based anticancer new drugs such as ATB-301 (TGF beta2 inhibition ASO+IL-2 combination therapy) and ATB-320 (anticancer ASO new drug with dual action mechanism of TME action and angiogenesis inhibition). ATB-330 (ALK5 inhibitor), a small molecule anticancer new drug candidate under development, was selected as the best project at the Chungbuk Biohealth Industry Innovation Center's RIS (Core Technology Development and Corporate Support Project) last May.