Lynk Pharmaceuticals Announces Completion of Patient Enrollment in Phase III Clinical Trial of Zemprocitinib for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Lynk Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. ("Lynk Pharmaceuticals"), a clinical-stage innovative drug development company focused on immune and inflammatory diseases, today announced that patient enrollment was completed on July 9 in the Phase III clinical trial evaluating its core product zemprocitinib capsules for the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The successful completion of enrollment marks an important milestone in the development of zemprocitinib for ankylosing spondylitis and brings the program one step closer to providing a new oral treatment option for patients with this chronic inflammatory disease. Study Design and Progress The Phase III study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of zemprocitinib in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients achieving an Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society 40% response (ASAS40) at Week 16. A total of 352 patients have now been enrolled, and the study is proceeding as planned with ongoing treatment, follow-up, and data collection. Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints, leading to pain, stiffness, and impaired physical function, significantly affecting patients' quality of life. Despite available therapies such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and biologics, a substantial proportion of patients fail to achieve adequate disease control or have concerns regarding long-term treatment safety, leaving significant unmet medical needs. Differentiated Profile of Zemprocitinib Zemprocitinib is a second-generation selective JAK1 inhibitor with the potential to become a best-in-class therapy. Compared with first-generation JAK inhibitors with lower selectivity, zemprocitinib's higher selectivity for JAK1 has th...