Vasa Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative treatments for cardiovascular diseases, announced today that its lead drug candidate, VS-041, has entered clinical trials. The first human subjects have been dosed at Quotient Sciences’ Nottingham, UK clinic.
 
VS-041 is being developed as a potential treatment for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a condition affecting millions worldwide. HFpEF is characterized by a stiffened heart that cannot fill properly with blood, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling.
 
Quotient Sciences’ Translational Pharmaceutics platform played a crucial role in accelerating VS-041 into clinical trials. By leveraging on-demand drug manufacturing capabilities, Quotient Sciences was able to produce immediate-release tablets for dosing in a shortened timeframe. Additionally, the company conducted the clinical program and recruited healthy volunteers to participate in the Phase I trial.
 
Dr. Artur Plonowski, CEO and Co-Founder of Vasa Therapeutics said, “We are extremely satisfied to use Quotient Sciences’ Translational Pharmaceutics platform that seamlessly integrates custom manufacturing, regulatory, and clinical functions, allowing us to carry out our FIH study of VS-041 in a time- and resource-efficient manner. We are very enthusiastic about the promise of VS-041 as the first personalized medicine-based treatment for HFpEF and are working diligently with Quotient Sciences to rapidly bring this option to HFpEF patients.”
 
Dr. Vanessa Zaan, Executive Drug Development Consultant at Quotient Sciences, said, “In drug development, particularly for small and emerging biotech companies, we know that speed matters. We are working with Vasa Therapeutics to obtain first-in-human data as soon as possible, but never at the expense of poor-quality science.”
 
The clinical trial of VS-041 is expected to provide important data on the safety and tolerability of the drug, as well as initial insights into its efficacy in treating HFpEF.