Keros Therapeutics Posts Encouraging Preclinical Data Of RKER-012 In Type Of High Blood Pressure

Keros Therapeutics Inc KROS announced results from a preclinical study of RKER-012 in a mouse model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart.
The data were shared at the American Thoracic Society International Conference.
RKER-012 prevented increased pulmonary arterial pressure and right ventricle hypertrophy in a rodent PAH model, and KER-012 did not alter red blood cell number in non-human primates.
The vehicle-treated SUGEN/hypoxia (SH) rats exhibited increases in Fulton index, which measures enlargement of the right ventricle and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) relative to normoxic controls.
In a separate nonclinical study, six months of treatment with KER-012 did not increase red blood cells in healthy naïve non-human primates.
Additionally, vehicle-treated SH rats exhibited increased lung inflammation/fibrosis and smooth muscle hypertrophy relative to normoxic controls, while treatment with RKER-012 reduced these pathologies relative to the vehicle.
The vehicle-treated SH rats exhibited elevated expression of genes associated with the development of PAH-associated pathology in the lung and right ventricle, which was reduced with RKER-012 treatment.
Price Action: KROS shares traded 16.90% lower at $38.35 on the last check Wednesday.