Benzinga | Feb 1, 2021 07:35AM EST

Titan Pharmaceuticals Says Studies Of Its Kappa Opioid Agonist Peptide, JT-09, 'demonstrated high potency and specificity for the human kappa-opioid receptor'

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTNP) today announced that studies of its kappa opioid agonist peptide, JT-09, has demonstrated high potency and specificity for the human kappa-opioid receptor ("KOR"). JT-09 is being developed for use in combination with Titan's ProNeura(r) long-term, continuous drug delivery technology for the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic pruritus (itch).

The KOR potency studies used the cAMP Hunter(tm) assay with cloned human mu, delta and kappa opioid receptors. In addition, in studies conducted in collaboration with Charles Chavkin, Ph.D., Allan and Phyllis Treuer Endowed Chair of Pain Research and Professor, Department of Pharmacology, at the University of Washington Health Sciences Center, Seattle, WA, pretreatment with JT-09 or with difelikefalin (which is being developed as Korsuva(tm) by Cara Therapeutics, Inc.) were observed to be equally potent in reducing scratching and grooming bouts when injected subcutaneously (0.3 mg/kg) in a 5'-guanidinonaltrindole (5'-GNTI) itch-induced mouse model.

"Pilot pharmacokinetic studies in rats previously indicated that subcutaneous placement of ProNeura implants containing JT-09 could deliver potentially therapeutic concentrations of this KOR agonist for up to six months or longer," said Kate Beebe DeVarney, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of Titan.

Dr. Beebe DeVarney continued, "These additional early positive data provide strong support for us to move forward with our planned non-clinical proof-of-concept study of JT-09 ProNeura implants in this animal itch model. This is an important next step for Titan towards developing a new treatment modality for moderate-to-severe chronic pruritus that is effective, patient-friendly and convenient."