Technophage S.A., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapies for areas of unmet medical need, today announces the initiation of a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial to evaluate TZ-161 for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury. The study, named eSpine, has received regulatory approval in both Spain and Portugal and is currently starting to recruit patients at Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, with additional clinical sites in both countries expected to join soon.
TZ-161 is a repurposed form of an approved small molecule identified by Technophage as a promising candidate for spinal cord injury. This discovery emerged from a high-throughput screening of FDA-approved small molecules using Technophage’s proprietary zebrafish model. Preclinical studies have demonstrated promising effects of TZ-161 in animal models of spinal cord injury, including improved locomotor behavior in both zebrafish and mouse models.
“Launching this trial represents a significant step forward in Technophage’s mission to bring meaningful innovation to patients affected by severe and underserved conditions,” said Miguel Garcia, CEO of Technophage. “By repurposing a drug with an established safety profile, we aim to accelerate development while reducing early-phase risk, ultimately delivering a much-needed therapeutic option for individuals who have recently suffered a spinal cord injury.”
This small molecule has been in clinical use for over two decades, with a manageable and well-tolerated safety profile, including under the dosing regimen selected for this study. The eSpine trial (NCT06677229) is designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of TZ-161 in individuals with acute spinal cord injury.