Company Description
Pharvaris N.V. (Nasdaq: PHVS) is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel, oral bradykinin B2 receptor antagonists for people living with bradykinin-mediated angioedema. According to company disclosures, Pharvaris is advancing therapies intended to help address unmet needs in hereditary angioedema (HAE) and acquired angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (AAE-C1INH), with an emphasis on oral treatments that aim to prevent and treat acute angioedema attacks.
The company’s lead product candidate is deucrictibant, described as a novel, potent, orally bioavailable small-molecule bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist that is currently in clinical development. Pharvaris is developing deucrictibant in two oral formulations: an extended-release tablet being investigated for prophylactic (preventive) treatment of angioedema attacks, and an immediate-release capsule being investigated for on-demand treatment of attacks. Company materials state that deucrictibant is being studied for its potential to prevent the occurrence of bradykinin-mediated angioedema attacks and to treat the manifestations of attacks when they occur by inhibiting bradykinin signaling through the bradykinin B2 receptor.
Pharvaris reports that deucrictibant has received orphan drug designation for the treatment of bradykinin-mediated angioedema from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Commission, and Swissmedic. The company characterizes itself as aiming to offer therapies with what it calls injectable-like efficacy™, a well-tolerated profile, and the convenience of oral administration for people with bradykinin-mediated angioedema.
Clinical development programs
Pharvaris describes itself as a late-stage company, with deucrictibant in multiple global Phase 3 programs. For hereditary angioedema (HAE), the company highlights:
- RAPIDe-3 (on-demand HAE treatment): a pivotal global Phase 3, placebo-controlled study of orally administered deucrictibant immediate-release capsule (20 mg) for on-demand treatment of HAE attacks in adults and adolescents (12 years and older). Company announcements report that RAPIDe-3 met its primary endpoint and all secondary efficacy endpoints with statistical significance, with a median time to onset of symptom relief of 1.28 hours versus placebo and a safety profile described as well tolerated.
- CHAPTER-3 (HAE prophylaxis): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 study of deucrictibant extended-release tablet (40 mg) once daily for prophylaxis against angioedema attacks in adults and adolescents (12 years and older) with HAE. Pharvaris indicates that this dosage is the intended commercial dose and that the study is designed to evaluate long-term prophylactic use.
- CHAPTER-4: a long-term, open-label extension study of deucrictibant extended-release tablet (40 mg/day) for prophylactic treatment of HAE attacks, intended to assess long-term safety and effectiveness.
- CHAPTER-1 (Phase 2 HAE prophylaxis): a two-part Phase 2 study of deucrictibant for long-term prophylaxis of HAE attacks. Final data from the randomized and open-label extension portions, as summarized by the company, showed that deucrictibant was generally well tolerated for up to approximately three years and that mean HAE attack rates were reduced within the first week of treatment and remained low throughout the open-label extension.
For acquired angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (AAE-C1INH), Pharvaris is conducting the CREAATE pivotal Phase 3 study. Company descriptions state that CREAATE is a global trial evaluating deucrictibant for both prophylactic and on-demand treatment of AAE-C1INH attacks, with a design that includes a prophylactic treatment phase using the extended-release tablet and an on-demand treatment phase using the immediate-release capsule, followed by an open-label extension.
Therapeutic focus and scientific approach
Across its disclosures, Pharvaris emphasizes a focus on all types of bradykinin-mediated angioedema, including HAE with C1 inhibitor deficiency, HAE with normal C1 inhibitor, and AAE-C1INH. The company highlights bradykinin B2 receptor antagonism as a mechanism it describes as proven and effective for treatment of bradykinin-mediated angioedema, and positions deucrictibant as an oral small molecule designed to apply this mechanism in both prophylactic and on-demand settings.
Pharvaris also reports work on a kinin biomarker assay intended to measure bradykinin and related kinin peptides in plasma. According to company presentations, this assay is being clinically validated to characterize bradykinin-mediated angioedema and may help in identifying, studying, and managing bradykinin-mediated pathologies, including angioedema.
Regulatory and corporate profile
Pharvaris N.V. is incorporated in the Netherlands and identifies its principal executive office as being located in Leiden, the Netherlands, in SEC filings. The company is a foreign private issuer that files annual reports under Form 20-F and furnishes interim updates on Form 6-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Its ordinary shares trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol PHVS, and it reports consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
Through public offerings of ordinary shares and pre-funded warrants registered on Form F-3 and Form F-3ASR, Pharvaris has raised capital to fund late-stage clinical programs, prepare for potential commercialization, and support working capital and general corporate purposes. The company also reports inclusion in the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index, reflecting that its shares meet that index’s eligibility criteria.
Pipeline positioning
Company communications describe deucrictibant as a potential option for both on-demand and prophylactic treatment of bradykinin-mediated angioedema attacks. Pharvaris states that, with positive data in Phase 2 prophylaxis and on-demand HAE studies and late-stage global trials underway, it is preparing global marketing authorization applications for the immediate-release capsule for on-demand treatment of HAE attacks and continuing pivotal development of the extended-release tablet for prevention of HAE attacks. In addition, the CREAATE program is intended to expand the potential use of deucrictibant into AAE-C1INH.
According to its own descriptions, Pharvaris’ aspiration is to provide oral therapies that combine the convenience of oral dosing with efficacy and tolerability characteristics that it associates with existing injectable therapies, in order to prevent and treat bradykinin-mediated angioedema attacks.