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BOSTON, Nov. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Imara Inc. (Nasdaq: IMRA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing novel therapeutics to treat patients suffering from rare inherited genetic disorders of hemoglobin, today announced that clinical data from the ongoing IMR-687 Phase 2a open label extension (OLE) clinical trial in adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) will be presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition to be held virtually December 5-8, 2020.
The presentation (abstract #1726), titled “Benefits and Safety of Long-Term Use of IMR-687 as Monotherapy or in Combination with a Stable Dose of Hydroxyurea (HU) in 2 Adult Sickle Cell Patients,” is currently available on the ASH website. The pre-recorded data presentation will be given by Lanetta Bronte-Hall, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.P.H., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research and will be available for on-demand viewing on Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.PT.
Imara completed dosing patients in the IMR-687 Phase 2a clinical trial in patients with SCD during the third quarter of 2020 and plans to report top-line data late in the fourth quarter of 2020. Imara also expects to report additional data from approximately 10 to 15 patients in the OLE clinical trial in the first quarter of 2021.
About IMR-687
IMR-687 is a highly selective and potent small molecule inhibitor of PDE9. PDE9 selectively degrades cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), an active signaling molecule that plays a role in vascular biology. Lower levels of cGMP are found in people with SCD and beta-thalassemia and are associated with reduced blood flow, increased inflammation, greater cell adhesion and reduced nitric oxide mediated vasodilation.
Blocking PDE9 acts to increase cGMP levels, which is associated with reactivation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF), a natural hemoglobin produced during fetal development. Increased levels of HbF in RBCs have been demonstrated to improve symptomology and substantially lower disease burden in both patients with SCD and patients with beta-thalassemia.
About Imara
Imara Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing novel therapeutics to treat patients suffering from rare inherited genetic disorders of hemoglobin. Imara is currently advancing IMR-687, a highly selective, potent small molecule inhibitor of PDE9 that is an oral, once-a-day, potentially disease-modifying treatment for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. IMR-687 is being designed to have a multimodal mechanism of action that acts on red blood cells, white blood cells, adhesion mediators and other cell types. For more information, please visit www.imaratx.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the content of, and timing with respect to, reporting of data from the Phase 2a and OLE clinical trials evaluating IMR-687 in patients with sickle cell disease. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the impact of extraordinary external events, such as the risks and uncertainties resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, operations, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, including its ongoing and planned research activities and ability to conduct and readout data from its ongoing Phase 2a and OLE clinical trials of IMR-687 in sickle cell disease and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in other filings that the Company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Media Contact:
Gina Nugent
Ten Bridge Communications
617-460-3579
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Investor Contact:
Michael Gray
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