Innovative COA tools to reduce steroid toxicity in autoimmune care
Steritas LLC, a Boston-based company committed to improving care for patients treated with steroids, has announced a multi-year licensing agreement with argenx, a global leader in immunology. The agreement centers on the use of Steritas’ STOX Suite, a first-in-class set of clinical outcome assessments (COAs) designed to quantify steroid-toxicity. The tools will be integrated across argenx’s Immunology Innovation Program, supporting the development of novel antibody-based therapies for autoimmune diseases.
“Unmasking the damage of long-term steroid use is essential to countering this hidden epidemic – not only when developing new therapies for autoimmune disease, but also for other chronic conditions in which steroids are the standard of care,” said Martha Stone, CEO at Steritas. “This bold move by argenx to hold steroids accountable after more than 75 years of overuse will help alleviate patient suffering and healthcare burden.”
The STOX Suite is a digital platform that standardizes the measurement of steroid-toxicity, enabling researchers and clinicians to assess the safety and efficacy of steroid-sparing therapies. It builds on the foundations of the Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index (GTI), the first validated tool for evaluating steroid-related harm.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen the research base around the long-term effects of steroids, which remain a mainstay treatment for inflammatory conditions despite their known adverse effects. Chronic steroid use is associated with significant complications, including metabolic, cardiovascular, and bone health issues.
“Our pipeline of precision therapeutics is designed to bring relief to patients, both from the burden of the disease they are living with and the burden of existing treatments,” said Dr Luc Truyen, chief medical officer at argenx.
“Collaborating with Steritas to better understand the often profoundly negative impact of long-term steroid use is yet another way that argenx is focusing on the real-world impact our medicines can have for the patients we serve.”
The STOX Suite will be deployed across argenx’s clinical trials, health economics and outcomes research, and real-world evidence initiatives. By leveraging Steritas’ platform, argenx aims to quantify the benefits of its steroid-sparing therapies and advance personalized treatment approaches.
“Evaluating the burden of steroids in the different conditions we treat is generating important data about the extent of their use and detrimental long-term effects,” added Dr Glenn Phillips, global head and VP of HEOR at argenx.
“Steritas has been a great partner in helping us explore and better understand the measurable negative impact of long-term steroid use and the potential benefit to patients of reducing the burdens associated with steroid-toxicity.”
This collaboration underscores the growing importance of integrating innovative digital tools into drug development. As autoimmune diseases continue to present significant treatment challenges, partnerships like this highlight the industry’s focus on patient-centered solutions.
