As it continues development of its rademikibart for asthma and other inflammatory diseases, Connect Biopharma is teaming up with former pro football player Elbert “Ickey” Woods to drive asthma awareness across the U.S.
Connect has begun a collaboration with Woods’ Jovante Woods Foundation, which the former Cincinnati Bengals running back started with his wife after losing their 16-year-old son to an acute asthma attack in 2010. Connect will help expand the foundation’s asthma education program, which is aimed at raising awareness of current treatment options and drawing attention to the need for new ones.
To date, the foundation has hosted educational events and fundraisers in Ohio, California and Nevada, all areas where Woods has personal ties. With Connect’s support, the partners plan to bring community events to even more markets throughout the upcoming NFL season.
Beyond the in-person events, Connect and Woods’ foundation will launch a social media campaign, and they’ve also produced a video package sharing Jovante’s story alongside educational information about asthma attacks and treatments.
“Enabling families to properly understand asthma, its risks, and the nuances of the treatment journey, is critical to preventing what is preventable: asthma deaths,” Connect CEO Barry Quart said in Thursday’s announcement. “Significant resources have been allocated toward the development of improved treatments for chronic asthma. Yet, 15 years since Jovante’s death, not enough is being done to specifically address acute asthma exacerbations.”
Quart added, “We are determined to change this, and Connect looks forward to collaborating with the Foundation to increase its reach nationwide.”
The CEO noted that the partnership aligns with Connect’s ongoing work to develop rademikibart as a treatment for acute asthma exacerbations.
The company is currently recruiting patients to a pair of phase 2 studies testing the anti-IL-4Ra antibody in both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with a top-line data readout slated for the first half of next year, per Quart.