Additional Pipeline Candidates for FA
Lexeo is also evaluating several clinical, preclinical, and discovery candidates for FA.
LX3010 is a clinical stage, oral combination therapy designed to increase frataxin expression while addressing mitochondrial function and oxidative stress through complementary mechanisms (HDAC inhibition and NRf2). Early clinical data includes an approximately 6-point improvement in mFARS scores at 16 weeks and a mean nine-fold increase in frataxin protein levels from baseline in muscle biopsies across 11 FA patients.
Lexeo is currently evaluating two preclinical programs for the treatment of Friedreich ataxia (FA). LX3030 is an oral, tissue-penetrant small molecule (sub-500Da) designed to increase production of endogenous frataxin in the central nervous system. This third-generation benzamide HDAC inhibitor builds on published clinical work demonstrating oral benzamide HDACs increase frataxin in FA patients by epigenetic modulation and acetylation of chromatin. Preclinical studies of LX3030 have demonstrated robust increases in frataxin, supporting continued evaluation of LX3030 as a differentiated oral therapy.
LX3050 is a recombinant human frataxin fused to a proprietary anti-TfR1 Fab, intended to directly replace the deficient frataxin protein and utilize a TfR1-targeting brain shuttle designed to cross the blood-brain barrier and increase delivery of frataxin to the brain. In vitro studies have demonstrated dose-responsive improvements in measures of mitochondrial function, providing early support for the program’s proposed mechanism.
Lexeo is evaluating additional therapeutic modalities for Friedreich ataxia (FA) to treat the multisystem manifestations of the disease. Research is currently underway to evaluate a discovery stage ASO Fab conjugate program designed to stabilize FXN mRNA and thereby increase translation of endogenous frataxin protein. Lexeo is also evaluating cerebellar-targeted sequential dosing of frataxin gene therapy, designed to be complementary to systemically administered LX2006. This research is evaluating both intra-cisternal administration as well as a novel, intravenously administered, blood-brain barrier crossing capsid that is expected to enable a less invasive route of administration to the central nervous system following initial systemic administration of LX2006.
Lexeo will continue to evaluate these programs and will prioritize the opportunities demonstrating the strongest potential for clinical patient impact and regulatory success.