About Theron Pharmaceuticals
Founded in 2008, Theron Pharmaceuticals is a privately held biotechnology company developing a best-in-class, long acting M3 muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) for the improved treatment of chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma.
Novel combination therapies that offer improved convenience and clinical outcomes are expected to be the key driver behind changing COPD and asthma treatment practices over the next decade. As the standard-of-care, Tiotropium (2010 sales of >$4 billion), the only approved LAMA, is central to the management of moderate to severe COPD. However, a once-a-day combination therapy containing tiotropium has so far remained elusive as has a nebulized form of the drug for patients with severe COPD. Because of overall superior efficacy and safety, a LAMA will likely be a preferred core component of future drug combinations.
Theron’s drug discovery efforts have focused on developing a novel LAMA with excellent physicochemical properties that will allow for broad inhalation device flexibility (DPI, MDI & nebulizer) as well as co-formulation compatibility with agents of complementary mechanisms (i.e., LAMA/long acting beta agonists (LABA)/inhaled corticosteroids (IC) or LAMA plus new drugs with novel mechanisms of action). Undergoing advanced IND-enabling studies, Theron’s lead development candidate, TRN-157, represents a major commercial opportunity that promises to deliver the superb clinical pharmacology of tiotropium, but, in contrast to Tiotropium, also has the ability to be combined with the drug of choice in the inhalation device of choice. Importantly, TRN-157 could form the foundation for a portfolio of differentiated once-a-day combination therapies that simplify disease management and improve clinical outcomes for COPD and severe asthma patients.
Theron's founders have over 70 years of pharmaceutical industry experience with a proven track record of creating new molecular entities, several of which have reached late-stage clinical trials. They have worked together for over 15 years and are named inventors on over 100 U.S. patents covering twelve new therapeutic agents, including naxifylline, tecarfarin, tecadenoson, zosuquidar and elinogrel. In addition, the core scientific team is complemented by a highly qualified group of advisors with respiratory drug discovery and development expertise.