- Galapagos (NASDAQ:GLPG) perks up 8% premarket on the heels of positive top line results in the Phase 2a NOVESA trial with investigational ziritaxestat (GLPG1690) in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), a severe autoimmune disease. The trial enrolled 33 patients.
- Ziritaxestat reached the primary endpoint of the study with a statistically significant change from baseline in the modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS) at Week 24, of -8.3 (1.2), p=0.0411 vs -5.7 (1.7) for placebo.
- GLPG1690 was generally well-tolerated. No deaths were reported.
- 94% of patients (31 of the 33) who completed the trial continued in the long-term open-label extension trial.
- Ziritaxestat is a small molecule, selective autotaxin inhibitor co-developed with Gilead Sciences.