{"id":89919,"date":"2024-02-24T21:47:35","date_gmt":"2024-02-25T02:47:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/?p=89919"},"modified":"2024-02-24T21:47:37","modified_gmt":"2024-02-25T02:47:37","slug":"silence-therapeutics-sln-multiple-2024-catalysts-make-this-mrna-biotech-worth-a-look","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/?p=89919","title":{"rendered":"Silence Therapeutics (SLN): Multiple 2024 Catalysts Make This mRNA Biotech Worth A Look"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Silence Therapeutics<\/strong> (NASDAQ:SLN<\/span>) is gearing up to report topline 36-week data from its phase 2 ALPACAR-360 study, which is using its drug zerlasiran [formerly known as SLN360] for the treatment of patients with high lipoprotein[a] and stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [ASCVD]. It is expected to release such data in Q1 of 2024 and positive data here would reconfirm prior findings from a phase 1 study, whereby positive data was achieved. The hope is that positive data is achieved with respect to this phase 2 ALPACAR-360 study. Besides positive data causing the stock price to trade higher, it would also allow for several other catalysts to come about that could provide additional upside. Matter of fact, should results using zerlasiran for this ASCVD patient population be good, then it would mean another four catalysts on the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is only with respect to just this program using this drug to target this patient population. Silence Therapeutics has several other programs in place that it is advancing in its pipeline using messenger RNA [mRNA] therapeutics. For example, there is another drug in its pipeline it is working on known as divesiran [formerly known as SLN124]. This clinical candidate is being advanced in the phase 1\/2 SANRECO study for the treatment of patients with polycythemia vera [PV]. The importance of tracking this study is because it is also going to have data released in the coming months. It is expected that results from this study using divesiran to treat this patient population will be released in mid-2024. It is also in a good position with its cash on hand because it was able to receive cash through a few financial transactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zerlasiran For The Treatment Of Patients With Cardiovascular Disease<\/h2>\n

One very important program to go over in the pipeline would be the use of zerlasiran, which is being developed to treat patients with cardiovascular disease. In particular, this clinical candidate is currently being explored in the phase 2 ALPACAR-360 study. The main thing for this drug is to be able to silence a gene that is responsible for creating the Lp[a] protein. By silencing this gene, it is expected to reduce the amount of this type of protein from roaming around in the patient’s body. In turn, this should then lead to reduced risk of patients developing other disorders like: Heart Attack, ischemic stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular disease<\/strong> can be referred to as a disorder with multiple conditions, which is the leadup to what I just noted, like heart attack or stroke. The global cardiovascular disease drugs market size is expected to reach $186.1 billion by 2032<\/strong>. One major component that occurs in cardiovascular disease would be the buildup of plaque on the walls of arteries, which narrows the blood vessels. This phenomenon is known as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [ASCVD]<\/strong>. When this happens, patients have suffered a host issue that I just noted. The goal is to reduce the Lp[a] gene, and that is done with zerlasiran. Patients are only given a one-time dose of zerlasiran to reduce this specific gene, however, at the same time, not permanently altering the DNA present. That is, to not permanently alter the gene and having the ability to be reversed if necessary. This is made possible by the mRNAi Gold Platform, which uses RNA interference [RNAi] to deliver small interfering RNAs [siRNAs] to silence disease genes without permanent alteration being necessary. Even better, this technology deploys a much better way to deliver such siRNAs, which is with the use of the GalNAc delivery technology. GalNAc is a naturally occurring sugar molecule that tells the siRNA what to exactly silence in the liver, thus having better selectivity over other RNAi molecules.<\/p>\n

The use of zerlasiran is being explored in the phase 2 ALPACAR-360 study<\/strong>, which is targeting patients with high lipoprotein [a] and stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [ASCVD]. This mid-stage study is continuing to recruit patients at the moment who are to either be given two dose levels of zerlasiran or placebo comparator. The placebo given as part of this study is sodium chloride. The primary endpoint of this study is to evaluate the change in Lp[a] from baseline of drug compared to placebo over a 36-week period. Again, this goes back to what I noted above in that the target goal of this drug is to reduce as much of the Lp[a] as possible. I believe it is important to look at the prospects of this company mainly for the fact that it is gearing up to report topline 36-week data from this phase 2 ALPACAR-360 study in Q1 of 2024. Should the data to be released from this study turn out to be good, then this would set up several other catalysts this year. Such catalysts are:<\/p>\n