Please join us on September 14th at 1:00 PM ET for LifeSci’s virtual webinar series “Lunch with LifeSci” featuring Disc Medicine (NASDAQ: IRON) a clinical stage biotechnology company developing Bitopertin for the treatment of a rare group of blood diseases called erythropoietic protoporphyria and X-linked protoporhyria. Both EPP and XLP are characterized by extreme pain and skin damage caused by exposure to sunlight, triggering painful burning sensation, redness, swelling and sometimes blistering of the exposed skin. REGISTER HERE

Our “Lunch with LifeSci” series highlights promising healthcare investment opportunities by simplifying the complex for the generalist investor who seeks outperformance in their investment portfolio.

EPP and XLP are a type of rare blood disease affecting 8,000 people in the US and Europe caused by abnormalities in the production of heme, a crucial molecule in the transport and utilization of oxygen and a key component of hemoglobin. Heme is created in a multi-step enzymatic process in the bone marrow that begins with glycine. In EPP and XLP, this production pathway has gone askew, resulting in the toxic accumulation of a byproduct called protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), which is activated when a patient is exposed to sunlight and results in excruciating pain. By limiting glycine uptake early in the heme production pathway, Disc’s oral drug, bitopertin, may regulate downstream heme synthesis and reduce the amount of the toxic byproduct, thereby greatly reducing patients sensitivity to sunlight.

On June 9th Disc released positive initial data from their Phase 2 open label Beacon trial (results here) demonstrating that bitopertin reduced PPIX by 40%, and in turn reduced photosensitivity, greatly improving patients’ quality of life. Further, Disc demonstrated dramatic improvements in light tolerance and showed a 96% reduction in phototoxic reactions. Early next year, Disc expects to present the results of AURORA, their second Phase 2 trial, a 75 patient, double blind, placebo-controlled study with the primary endpoint being the reduction in PPIX and secondary endpoints of improvements in various light tolerance measurements.

Disc’s second asset, DISC-0974, is also being evaluated in two Phase Ib/II studies with initial data expected by the end of 2023. DISC-0974 is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits hemojuvelin, which in turn, suppresses the production of hepcidin to increase iron levels. This drug has the potential to be a safe and effective treatment option in a number of anemias associated with inflammatory diseases.

Join us as we speak to John Quisel to learn why Disc Medicine may dramatically improve the lives of patients suffering not only from EPP, but why the rest of the company’s pipeline has so much promise in other blood diseases as well. With several data catalysts upcoming in the next 6 months, and an exceptional group of validating shareholdings such as OrbiMed, Bain, Adage, Novo, Perceptive and Frazier, our discussion with Disc Medicine should prove timely and enlightening.