PureTech to test LYT-100 for long-Covid after tolerability success

PureTech Health said its LYT-100 inflammation and fibrosis treatment showed good tolerability and that it would test its effectiveness on long-Covid symptoms.

The FTSE 250 biotherapeutics group said LYT-100, its most advanced fully owned treatment, was tolerated well at all specified doses in a trial. As a result an extra cohort of 1000mg twice a day was added with similar results. As a result the company will administer two doses a day in future studies.

LYT-100 is designed to deal with problems associated with pirfenidone, an approved and marketed anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic drug. Many patients struggle to tolerate pirfenidone, which has dose-limiting toxicities, PureTech said.

"The strong results from this Phase 1 readout reinforce our view that LYT-100 has the potential to offer a tolerability and bioavailability profile that could be highly differentiated at the same exposure levels as pirfenidone," Daphne Zohar, chief executive of PureTech, said.

Zohar said PureTech would move the program forward to test on multiple inflammations and other afflictions including long-term respiratory problems associated with Covid-19. Symptoms of long-Covid include breathlessness and chest pains as well as fatigue and muscle pain.

PureTech shares rose 0.7% to 295.98p at 10:10 GMT.