NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB and Yungjin Pharm Corporation Ltd, have started clinical phase I study of KL1333 in Korea and the first healthy volunteer has been enrolled.

The study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, dose-escalation phase I clinical study to investigate the pharmacokinetics and safety/tolerability of KL1333 in healthy subjects. The study is planned to encompass a total of 60 healthy volunteers and will be fully performed by Yungjin Pharm. KL1333 is in development for the treatment of genetic mitochondrial diseases, such as MELAS and Kearns-Sayre syndrome, for which there are no current medicines.

“This is a valuable milestone in our goal to offer patients with genetic mitochondrial disease a new treatment option. Furthermore, it is an important starting point in our collaboration with Yungjin Pharm”, said Erik Kinnman, chief executive officer of NeuroVive.

“We visited the clinical site just a couple a weeks ago and were very impressed by their extensive experience and professionalism in handling early clinical phase studies”, said Magnus Hansson, Chief Medical Officer of NeuroVive.

The principal investigator for the study is Professor Kyung-Sang Yu MD, PhD at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seoul National University College of Medicine.

“We are excited about the collaboration with NeuroVive, and the initiation of this clinical program is a significant step forward in the development of innovative medicines in this area with great medical needs”, Su Jun Park, CEO of Yungjin Pharm.

On 2 May 2017, Yungjin Pharm granted NeuroVive exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize KL1333, except in Korea and Japan, where Yungjin Pharm retains full rights. Both companies will continue to develop KL1333 in their respective markets, primarily for the treatment of genetic mitochondrial disorders. NeuroVive plans to initiate a complementary European and/or US based phase I study in early 2018.

KL1333 is a potent modulator of the cellular levels of NAD+, a central coenzyme in the cell’s energy metabolism. KL1333 has in preclinical studies been demonstrated to increase mitochondrial energy output, reduce lactate accumulation, diminish the formation of free radicals, and to have long-term beneficial effects on energy metabolism. It is in clinical development stage for chronic oral treatment of primary genetic mitochondrial disorders such as MELAS, KSS, CPEO, PEO, Pearson, MERRF and Alpers syndrome. Its mode of action is complementary to that of NVP015, which is intended to alleviate acute episodes of energy crises in genetic mitochondrial disorders with dysfunction in respiratory complex I and to NVP025, intended to protect the mitochondria in skeletal muscle from dysfunctional calcium handling and consequential muscle wasting.