The stormy trial updates that hung over the Huntington’s disease (HD) field in 2021 have certainly parted, making way for the bright and clear forecast we’ve had so far in 2024! Close on the heels of recent positive trial news from Sage Therapeutics, PTC Therapeutics, Wave Life Sciences, and uniQure, we’ve received more encouraging results from another company, Skyhawk Therapeutics, about their drug SKY-0515. Since there are a lot of trials going on right now in the HD space testing various drugs, let’s break down how SKY-0515 works, what we’ve learned so far from this Phase 1 trial, and how it differs from other drugs being tested.
How does SKY-0515 work?
SKY-0515 is designed to lower huntingtin (HTT), the molecule that ultimately causes HD. While we all have the HTT gene, folks who go on to develop HD have an extra stretch of genetic message within their HTT gene. The good news is that since we know the exact genetic cause of the disease is within the HTT gene, it gives us a very reasonable target to go after. That’s why Skyhawk, along with many other companies, have focused on developing drugs that lower HTT.