BOSTON– Invetx, a pioneer in protein-based therapeutics for animal health, announced today that it has initiated a clinical field study in dogs targeting an undisclosed chronic indication with IVX-01, its proprietary, novel, fully canine, high-affinity and half-life extended monoclonal antibody (mAb). Along with the launch of its first clinical program, Invetx has appointed Robert Zolynas, DVM, as vice president, clinical development & regulatory affairs.
“We are very excited to see the first product candidate generated with our unique discovery and optimization platform enter the clinical phase,” said Juergen Horn, PhD, chief executive officer, Invetx. “In addition to this study, we expect several other programs targeting diseases in dogs and cats to enter the clinic within the next 18 months. Our rapid progress demonstrates the power of our platform to efficiently and reliably deliver best-in-class mAb drug candidates. Along with these key milestones, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Zolynas to the company, where he will play a primary role leading multiple clinical programs.”
Dr. Zolynas joins Invetx from Elanco, where he served as head of the company’s next generation development incubator. Dr. Zolynas is a veterinarian with extensive experience in animal health R&D. Prior to Elanco, he was vice president, US research and development and head of global clinical development at Bayer Animal Health. Dr. Zolynas received his doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree from Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and his MBA from Indiana State University.
Invetx developed its fully species-specific, optimized and half-life extended monoclonal antibody platform to create differentiated, best-in-class biotherapeutics for dogs, cats and other species. The company’s integrated platform sets a new standard for veterinary biotherapeutics spanning discovery, development and manufacturing.
“After completing an extensive protein engineering effort to identify and validate a set of novel variants that enable at least a two- to three-fold extension of half-life, we are now able to extend treatment intervals to two or three months, or longer,” said Bill Brondyk, PhD, chief scientific officer. “Sustaining a prolonged therapeutic effect provides more convenient dosing options for pet owners leading to increased compliance and overall better treatment outcomes. We believe that the Invetx approach, which is specifically tailored to each veterinary species, will set the new paradigm for therapeutic antibodies in companion animals.”
