DS Biopharma (DS), a privately held drug discovery and development company, announced plans to develop its anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory compound DS102 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients as well as in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients.

Recent DS preclinical data suggests that DS102 is significantly sequestered in lung tissue and has bronchodilatory, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties in the same tissue after oral administration. The company will publish further detail on these findings later in the year.

In view of this, the company is planning a phase IIa clinical trial in COPD patients and will start a phase IIa study with DS102 in NASH patients later this year.

DS Biopharma CEO, Dr. John Climax, said, "The additional positive preclinical data supports the anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms previously observed with DS102 in murine models for NASH. The company is very encouraged by the potential utility of DS102 both in NASH and in pulmonary disorders such as COPD and IPF."