Bridge Biotherapeutics said that it signed a cooperation agreement with Brainomix, a U.K.-based artificial intelligence (AI) medtech firm, to efficiently conduct phase 2 clinical trials of BBT-877, an idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) treatment candidate.

Under the accord, Bridge Biotherapeutics will utilize Brainomix's e-ILD technology, an AI-based program, to conduct a phase 2 study of BBT-877.

Bridge Biotherapeutics said it would use automated imaging data such as high-resolution computed tomography (CT) images of patients with IPF to promote objectivity and efficiency in evaluating drug efficacy.

The two companies will also explore if they can use imaging biomarkers based on imaging data as indicators for new drug efficacy evaluation in addition to forced vital capacity (FVC), a clinical indicator for IPF widely used in clinical practice.

Through quantitative image analysis of pulmonary fibrosis, Bridge Biotherapeutics expects that it will be able to improve the objectivity of drug efficacy measurement and identify the patient's treatment response and disease course, which, in turn, will help add efficiency to the clinical operation of BBT-877 and the design of follow-up clinical trials.

"We believe that the partnership with Brainomix will enable us to generate supplemental efficacy data from our clinical study on IPF patients based on its combined imaging technology and expertise," said Agnes Jung, head of project management at Bridge Biotherapeutics. "We also expect to gain further insights concerning the earlier prediction of treatment response in patients, as the partnership goes on."

Brainomix medical director Peter George also said, "We are pleased to provide a more objective assessment of the drug efficacy of BBT-877 in IPF."

Based on the potential to supplement the methodology and evaluation indicators of existing clinical trials, the company will do its best to cooperate for successful clinical trials, George added.