Bellerophon Announces Positive Initial Data from Acute Hemodynamic Dose Escalation Study of INOpulse® for Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Interstitial Lung Disease

WARREN, N.J., Nov. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLPH) (“Bellerophon” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company, today announced positive initial data from an acute, dose escalation, clinical study (PHPF-002) of INOpulse® for the treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension associated with Interstitial Lung Disease (PH-ILD). PHPF-002 is an ancillary study to the Company’s ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, Phase 2/3 iNO-PF study of INOpulse for the treatment of PH-ILD, for which the Company expects to report top line results for Cohort 2 by the end of the year.

The results to date from PHPF-002 have demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in multiple pre-specified pulmonary hemodynamic parameters, starting with the lowest dose of 30 mcg/kg IBW/hr (iNO30). Dose escalation showed:

• Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) improved by 29% (baseline PVR was 584 dynes × sec × cm^-5)
• Cardiac Output (CO) improved by 16% (baseline CO was 3.5 L/min)
• Mean Pulmonary Arterial Pressure (mPAP) improved by 10% across doses (baseline mPAP was 34.3 mmHg)
• Oxygen saturation remained stable across doses
• iNO was well-tolerated with no safety concerns across doses

“PH-ILD results in severe functional impairment and significantly reduced life expectancy. These patients suffer from constriction of the pulmonary arteries that decreases cardiac output and causes right ventricular dysfunction,” said Roger Alvarez, DO, MPH, Assistant Professor University of Miami School of Medicine, and Principal Investigator in the PHPF-002 study. “The hemodynamic improvements demonstrated by INOpulse’s targeted vasodilation are compelling and provide the potential to meaningfully increase physical activity in PH-ILD patients who have limited ability to perform even the most basic daily tasks.”

“We believe the acute hemodynamic benefit demonstrated in the PHPF-002 study is responsible for the chronic improvement in physical activity observed in Cohort 1 of our ongoing Phase 2/3 iNO-PF study,” said Fabian Tenenbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Bellerophon. “These hemodynamic improvements confirm the therapeutic benefit of iNO30 and support the potential for further benefit on iNO45. We look forward to reporting top-line results from Cohort 2 of iNO-PF, which is evaluating iNO45 in 44 subjects, by the end of the year.”

PHPF-002 is designed to assess the acute hemodynamic benefit of escalating iNO doses in PH-ILD. The first four PHPF-002 study subjects were each treated sequentially, beginning with a dose of iNO30, followed by dose escalation to iNO45 and iNO75. Pulmonary hemodynamics were measured via right heart catheterization and collected at baseline, as well as following each sequential iNO dose. The Company intends to enroll up to four additional PH-ILD subjects in this study.

About Bellerophon
Bellerophon Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on developing innovative therapies that address significant unmet medical needs in the treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases. The Company is currently developing multiple product candidates under its INOpulse® program, a proprietary pulsatile nitric oxide delivery system.  For more information, please visit www.bellerophon.com.

Forward-looking Statements
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