WAUWATOSA, Wis. & NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 10, 2026--
N-Zyme Biomedical, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a novel class of therapeutics targeting pepsin in reflux disease, today announced the initiation of its Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate its lead pepsin inhibitor candidate for the treatment of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).
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The trial represents a key milestone in the development of what is believed to be the first therapeutic approach specifically designed to inhibit pepsin, a primary driver of tissue damage and symptoms in reflux disease.
Unlike traditional acid-suppressing therapies, including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)that do not address non-acidic components of reflux, N-Zyme’s approach is designed to target pepsin directly—addressing a key mechanism underlying persistent and treatment-resistant symptoms.
LPR, often referred to as “silent reflux,” remains significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated, with many patients continuing to experience chronic symptoms despite standard therapies. By targeting pepsin, N-Zyme is advancing a differentiated approach with the potential to improve outcomes across a large and underserved patient population.
“The initiation of our Phase 2 trial marks an important milestone for N-Zyme and the advancement of a new therapeutic approach in reflux disease,” saidFranco Vigile, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of N-Zyme Biomedical. “For decades, the standard of care has focused primarily on acid suppression, despite growing evidence supporting the role of pepsin in disease pathology—particularly in LPR and other extraesophageal manifestations of reflux. We believe targeting pepsin represents a differentiated approach with the potential to redefine how reflux disease is treated and improve outcomes for millions of patients.”
Strengthened Intellectual Property Portfolio
In parallel with the advancement of its clinical program, N-Zyme recently expanded its intellectual property portfolio with the issuance of patents covering the use of fosamprenavir for the treatment of reflux disease from both the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Japan Patent Office.
These patents provide strategic protection for the use of fosamprenavir and related compounds in reflux indications and further support the company’s position in developing therapies targeting pepsin.
About the Phase 2 Trial
The Phase 2 clinical trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of N-Zyme’s pepsin inhibitor candidate, utilizing fosamprenavir, a well-characterized molecule with an established safety profile, in patients diagnosed with laryngopharyngeal reflux. The trial is led by Dr. Nikki Johnston at the Medical College of Wisconsin and is expected to generate data supporting the therapeutic potential of pepsin inhibition.
About N-Zyme Biomedical
N-Zyme Biomedical is a clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Delaware, United States. The company is developing a novel class of therapeutics designed to inhibit pepsin, with the goal of advancing the treatment of reflux disease and addressing a significant unmet medical need.
Attendees gather at N-Zyme Biomedical's Phase 2 Clinical Trial Launch Celebration at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
NEW DELHI (AP) — A fire broke out in a five-story building that houses several hotels in Kolkata in the early hours Wednesday, killing at least nine people and injuring six others in the capital of India’s West Bengal state, police said.
The blaze erupted around 1:45 a.m. in the building close to the West Bengal Fire Department headquarters in central Kolkata, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, describing the building as “dingy.”
Those killed included two women and a four-year-old child, police said. At least 80 people have been rescued from the building, according to the news agency, citing a senior official.
Koushik Chowdhury, a state minister, said after visiting the site that some among the dead were Bangladeshi nationals, PTI reported.
The minister said many of the victims were believed to have died from smoke inhalation. Several people were unable to escape to safety and some rooms lacked windows, he said, adding that rescue teams managed to save a couple from a room that had a window.
The government would conduct fire safety inspections at hotels across the state in the wake of the blaze, the minister said.
Authorities said the fire was brought under control and that their immediate focus was on rescuing anyone still trapped inside and investigating the cause of the fire, which was not immediately known.
Forensic experts were collecting evidence at the scene and an investigation was launched into the cause of the fire and whether safety regulations were followed, police told PTI.
Chowdhury said a short circuit may have caused the fire.
Firefighters struggled to reach people trapped on the upper floors as thick smoke engulfed the building, a police officer told the news agency.
Five fire engines were deployed to bring the blaze under control, while police and disaster management teams carried out rescue operations, the report said. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.
On Monday, a blaze at a hotel in West Bengal’s temple town of Tarapith left at least seven people dead and several others critically injured.
In December, at least 25 people were killed after a fire ripped through a popular nightclub in western Goa state.
Members of the forensic team enter after first responders doused an early morning fire at a building that housed multiple hotels and guest houses in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Police and volunteers of disaster management group stand outside after dousing an early morning fire at a building that housed multiple hotels and guest houses in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
People gather outside after first responders doused an early morning fire at a building that housed multiple hotels and guest houses in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Onlookers watch from a distance after first responders doused an early morning fire at a building that housed multiple hotels and guest houses in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Fire brigade personnel stand at the entrance after dousing an early morning fire at a building that housed multiple hotels and guest houses in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Policemen and other officials stand near a hotel which caught fire early Wednesday in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
