Conduit Pharmaceuticals Partners With Charles River To Evaluate AZD1656 In Pre-Clinical Lupus Model; Aims To Enhance Phase II Trial Outcomes For Autoimmune Disorders, Focus On Lupus

• Conduit Pharmaceuticals partners with Charles River to evaluate the efficacy of its lead programme in a pre-clinical lupus model, utilizing Charles River's immunology expertise to refine study parameters and improve probability of successful Phase II clinical trial outcomes.
  
   
• The study aims to accelerate the development of AZD1656 (and its derivatives), for autoimmune disorders, with a focus on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Lupus Nephritis (LN).
  
   

NAPLES, Fla. and CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conduit Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: CDT) ("Conduit" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce an agreement with Charles River Laboratories Inc ("Charles River") to evaluate AZD1656 (and its derivatives) in a clinically relevant Systemic Lupus Erythematosus model. This collaboration highlights Conduit's focus on generating high-quality preclinical data to optimize the development pathway for its clinical program in auto-immune and position itself for success in its upcoming Phase II clinical trials.

Conduit will leverage Charles River's expertise in immunology and preclinical research to refine study parameters and generate robust data to evaluate the efficacy of its lead compound. By conducting this comprehensive study, Conduit aims to enhance the predictability of clinical outcomes, increase the efficiency of its planned Phase II trials, and ultimately improve the likelihood of success for AZD1656 as a potential treatment for autoimmune disorders.

This study is a critical step in Conduit's development strategy, as it is expected to provide essential data to inform and de-risk future clinical trials. The primary aim is to better understand the impact of drug on disease progression in a lupus model, assessed by typical disease progression readouts. Furthermore, the study will gather data on the effect of the drug on inflammatory markers and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels to understand how the drug impacts Treg immunoregulation.

By generating this data early in the development process, Conduit aims to optimize its Phase II trials, by reducing development timelines and maximizing the therapeutic potential of AZD1656. This will strengthen the scientific foundation for Conduit's primary asset but also enhance the value for potential out-licensing opportunities.