SAN DIEGO, July 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- aTyr Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: LIFE), a biotherapeutics company engaged in the discovery and development of innovative medicines based on novel immunological pathways, today announced a poster presentation at the Scleroderma Foundation National Patient Education Conference to be held in Philadelphia, PA from July 27 – 29, 2018. The presentation reviews the positive lung and skin results of a recently completed murine experiment evaluating low doses of ATYR1923 in a chronic graft versus host disease model of systemic sclerosis.

“The data we are presenting tomorrow are part of our ongoing estate of translational animal models set to help inform and de-risk our upcoming clinical development of ATYR1923,” stated David King, Ph.D., aTyr’s Chief Scientific Officer. “The conclusions of this study support our hypothesis and mechanistic understanding that ATYR1923 may have therapeutic benefit as an earlier intervention for patients with interstitial lung disease characterized by inflammation.”

Poster Presentation: Friday July 27, 2018 from 5:00 – 7:15 PM (EDT)

Title: “ATYR1923 Ameliorates Dermal and Pulmonary Fibrosis in a Murine Model of Sclerodermatous

Chronic Graft vs. Host Disease”

Presenter: Kathleen Ogilvie, Ph.D., aTyr Pharma, Inc.

Conclusions:

• Data demonstrate ATYR1923 is efficacious in a murine model of sclerodermatous chronic graft versus host disease when administered weekly at only 0.4 mg/kg.
• ATYR1923 has robust activity when treatment was initiated at Day 7.
• ATYR1923 activity did not reach significance when treatment was initiated at Day 21.
• Data are compatible with aTyr’s hypothesis that ATYR1923 modulates immune responses and inflammation following tissue injury.

About aTyr

aTyr is a clinical-stage biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and clinical development of innovative medicines using its knowledge of tRNA synthetase biology. aTyr is focused on the therapeutic translation of the Resokine pathway, comprised of extracellular proteins derived from the histidyl tRNA synthetase (HARS) gene family. aTyr’s clinical stage ATYR1923 candidate augments the Resokine pathway and is designed to temper immune engagement in interstitial lung diseases. aTyr has built an intellectual property estate, to protect its pipeline, comprising over 250 issued patents or allowed patent applications that are owned or exclusively licensed, including over 300 potential protein compositions derived from tRNA synthetase genes. For more information, please visit http://www.atyrpharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

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Contact:
Mark Johnson
Sr. Director, Investor Relations
mjohnson@atyrpharma.com
858-223-1163