Aristea Therapeutics, a clinical-stage immunology focused drug development company advancing novel therapies to treat serious inflammatory diseases, said that due to safety findings in the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials, it has discontinued the RIST4721 development program in order to protect patient safety. 

The board of directors has also determined, after careful, and extensive consideration of a range of strategic alternatives, that the appropriate business decision is to undertake an orderly conclusion of the Aristea Therapeutics business, and operations, and dissolve the company. 

“Although the decision to discontinue the RIST4721 development program is disappointing for the Aristea Therapeutics team and patients in need of new treatment options, we believe it is absolutely the right decision to protect patient safety which must always be paramount in drug development,” said James Mackay, president and CEO of Aristea. “The board’s decision to dissolve Aristea Therapeutics was reached after exploring a range of strategic alternatives and is a sound business decision.” 

Aristea launched in December 2018 as an AstraZeneca spin-out. Aristea gained exclusive global rights to RIST4721, its lead asset, from AstraZeneca. RIST4721 is an antagonist of the CXCR2 protein and was set to enter Phase II assessments in palmoplantar pustulosis when the company launched.