Palisade Bio Presents Positive Preclinical Data of PALI-2108 for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

In This Article:

Palisade Bio, Inc.
Palisade Bio, Inc.

Data presented at the 2025 Crohn’s and Colitis Congress 

PALI-2108 demonstrated to effectively reduce colitis symptoms in DSS mouse model without CNS toxicity associated with systemic exposure

Company advancing Phase 1a/b study of PALI-2108 and has demonstrated a favorable safety profile in single-ascending-dose cohorts

Carlsbad, CA, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Palisade Bio, Inc.  (Nasdaq: PALI) (“Palisade”, “Palisade Bio”, or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and advancing novel therapeutics for patients living with autoimmune, inflammatory, and fibrotic diseases, today announced the presentation of positive preclinical data from PALI-2108, an orally administered, colon-specific phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor prodrug is in development for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

Palisade Bio presented a poster titled “PALI-2108, a Colon-Specific PDE4B Inhibitor Prodrug, Reduces Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms in an Acute Colitis DSS Mouse Model” at the Crohn’s & Colitis Congress in San Francisco, CA. The poster is available on the Company’s website.

“UC patients need new oral therapies with higher remission rates, less systemic immunosuppression, and a strong safety profile. We continue to be encouraged by our preclinical and clinical results for PALI-2108, and we believe PALI-2108 could be an important option for these patients,” said Mitch Jones, MD, Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Palisade Bio. “We are on track to report topline data in the first half of 2025 and are excited to continue exploring this novel, oral, intestinally activated PDE4 inhibitor.”

In the studies, mice with induced colitis were treated with PALI-2108 twice daily for three days. Plasma, duodenum, ileum, and colon samples were collected to measure drug levels, and a Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) was used to assess PDE4 binding in colon tissue. In an acute colitis model, PALI-2108 was shown to reduce disease activity compared to tacrolimus and apremilast.

Pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling using data from UC and healthy volunteers suggested that PALI-2108 has favorable absorption and bioavailability, supporting its potential for clinical use.

Key Highlights:

  • PALI-2108 reduced colitis symptoms in mice without causing CNS toxicity, suggesting it could be a novel treatment for UC.

  • It effectively converts to the active PDE4 inhibitor, PALI-0008, in the colon following oral administration in mice, dogs, and humans.

  • PALI-2108 showed superior potency and target engagement in preclinical studies compared to other PDE4 inhibitors.

  • It demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy in a mouse UC model, outperforming standard treatments.

  • No systemic safety issues were observed in mice, dogs, or monkeys.

  • PK modeling supports twice-daily dosing during induction and once-daily during maintenance, leveraging the drug’s extended-release properties.

  • PALI-2108 exhibited a favorable therapeutic window, with higher tissue-to-plasma ratios and enhanced tissue inhibition in preclinical studies compared to other PDE4 inhibitors.