In The Spotlight: AnaptysBio

(RTTNews) - Shares of AnaptysBio Inc. (ANAB) are up nearly 24% year-to-date, way ahead of the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, which has gained just 2.77% during the same time frame.

AnaptysBio is a clinical-stage antibody development company focused on unmet medical needs in inflammation. The Company's lead drug candidate is ANB020, an inhibitor of interleukin-33 cytokine, or IL-33, which has a role to play in various infectious and inflammatory diseases.

ANB020 is under phase IIa testing in the indications of moderate-to-severe adult atopic dermatitis, severe adult peanut allergy and severe adult eosinophilic asthma.

The Company announced positive proof-of-concept data from its phase IIa clinical trial of ANB020 in 12 adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis on October 10, 2017, sending the stock up more than 100% that day to $70.41.

According to the interim analysis, after a single dose of ANB020, 75 percent of patients achieved an Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI) score improvement of 50 percent relative to enrollment baseline (EASI-50) at day 15, 83 percent of patients achieved EASI-50 at day 29, and 75 percent of patients achieved EASI-50 at day 57. Additional efficacy and safety data through completion of the phase 2a clinical trial of ANB020 are scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018.

The Company plans to initiate a phase IIb study in 200-300 adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis to evaluate multi-dose subcutaneous administration of ANB020 during the first half of 2018, with data expected in 2019.

The phase IIa trial assessing the tolerance of oral food challenge before and after administration of a single dose of ANB020 or placebo in a total of 20 adult patients with severe peanut allergy is advancing as planned, with top-line data expected in the first quarter of 2018.

Another clinical trial catalyst to watch out for is the top-line data from a phase IIa trial evaluating ANB020 in 24 adult patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Top-line data from this study are expected in the second quarter of 2018.

Next up in the pipeline is ANB019, which is being developed for the treatment of rare inflammatory diseases including generalized pustular psoriasis and palmo-plantar pustular psoriasis.

Last November, AnaptysBio announced positive top-line results from an interim analysis of an ongoing single and multiple ascending dose phase I trial of ANB019 in healthy volunteers.

The Company plans to advance ANB019 into phase II studies for generalized pustular psoriasis and palmo-plantar pustular psoriasis during this year.

ANB020 and ANB019 are wholly-owned antibody programs of AnaptysBio.

In addition to the wholly-owned antibody programs, the Company has two partnered programs - one an immuno-oncology-focused collaboration with TESARO Inc. (TSRO), and anther, an inflammation-focused collaboration with Celgene Corp. (CELG).

Under the TESARO collaboration, a phase I study of an AnaptysBio-generated anti-PD-1 antagonist antibody (TSR-042) in metastatic microsatellite high endometrial cancer patients, dubbed GARNET, initiated by TESARO, is ongoing.

Another trial initiated by TESARO under the collaboration is a phase I study of an AnaptysBio-generated anti-LAG-3 antibody (TSR-033) in patients with advanced solid tumors in a broad range of solid tumors.

Given the fact that AnaptysBio has couple of announcements up its sleeve, it's worth keeping an eye on this stock.

ANAB closed Wednesday's (Feb.14) trading at $124.77, up 9.29%. The stock has traded in a range of $18.15 to $132.46 in the last 1 year.