Lynk Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as 'Lynk Pharmaceuticals'), an innovative clinical stage company, announced today that the first patient has been dosed with LNK01001 in its Phase II clinical trial targeting ankylosing spondylitis. LNK01001 is a JAK1 selective inhibitor for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II study evaluating the safety and efficacy of LNK01001 capsules in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown origin that primarily affects the spine, sternum, and large joints in the body. The most distinctive feature of this condition is a significant or complete loss of flexibility in the spine. Currently, there is no effective oral medication for this disease in China. LNK01001 is the first innovative drug developed by Lynk Pharmaceuticals. Previously, LNK01001 completed Phase I clinical studies in healthy subjects in the summer of 2021 in China and in Australia sponsored by Lynk Pharmaceuticals and its US partner, respectively, and the Phase II clinical studies for rheumatoid arthritis are currently underway.

Professor Xiaofeng Zeng, the principal investigator of this study and the director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said, "The pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis is complex and it is difficult to treat. At the moment, we can only control its symptoms and improve the prognosis. The preclinical data of LNK01001 shows its therapeutic potential, and we have seen good safety and tolerability in the Phase I studies. I am looking forward to the excellent performance of LNK01001 in the Phase II clinical trial."

"Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease for which there is no cure, and the clinical demands for an optimal therapy for the disease management are far from being satisfied." Dr. Sherry Weigand, the chief medical officer of Lynk Pharmaceuticals, said, "The results of LNK01001 Phase I clinical research have shown that it is safe and well tolerated, we will accelerate the clinical development of this innovative drug in the hope of bringing a new option to patients with ankylosing spondylitis."

About Lynk Pharmaceuticals:

Lynk Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage company, was founded in 2018 by senior drug R&D experts and executives from Pfizer, Merck and Johnson & Johnson. Lynk Pharmaceuticals is dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative drugs for the treatment of cancer, as well as immune and inflammatory diseases. Driven by a higher goal, Lynk Pharmaceuticals aims to be a market leader to address unmet medical demands by the development of innovative therapies. To date, Lynk Pharmaceuticals has independently developed a number of Class I clinical innovative new drugs, and independently as well as jointly with its US partner launched a number of clinical studies globally. For more information about Lynk Pharmaceuticals, please visit: https://www.lynkpharma.com.

Source: Lynk Pharmaceuticals