SAN DIEGO, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNX) today announced that on June 10, 2025, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors granted non-qualified stock option awards to purchase an aggregate of 74,000 shares of its common stock and granted an aggregate of 48,850 restricted stock unit (“RSU”) awards to 20 new non-executive employees, in each case, under the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan (the “2021 In ...

Core Insights - Crinetics Pharmaceuticals is presenting two abstracts at the AACE Annual Meeting 2025, highlighting the investigational candidate paltusotine's rapid and durable treatment effects in acromegaly patients and the significant symptom burden experienced by patients on standard treatments [1][2][3] Group 1: Paltusotine Development - Paltusotine is a once-daily oral medication that has shown promising results in controlling IGF-1 levels in surgically naïve acromegaly patients, with three out of four patients in one trial achieving IGF-1 normalization [4][10] - The company is preparing for a PDUFA action date of September 25 in the U.S., indicating potential regulatory approval for paltusotine [3][10] - Paltusotine is positioned as a viable first-line therapy for patients who cannot undergo surgery, with sustained IGF-1 control observed over 24 months in clinical trials [4][10] Group 2: Symptom Burden and Treatment Discontinuation - A study revealed that patients on long-acting injectable somatostatin analogs reported symptom exacerbations on 32% of days, leading to reduced quality of life and increased healthcare utilization [5][7] - A retrospective analysis indicated that 54% of acromegaly patients discontinued therapy, with only 20% remaining on their initial treatment, highlighting dissatisfaction with current injectable therapies [7] - The findings underscore the need for more effective treatments that provide consistent symptom control for acromegaly patients [5][7] Group 3: Atumelnant Development - Atumelnant, another investigational compound by Crinetics, is in development for ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome and has shown promising results in a Phase 2a study [11] - The compound is designed to selectively target the melanocortin type 2 receptor, potentially offering significant treatment benefits for patients with conditions related to excess ACTH [11]

Core Insights - Crinetics Pharmaceuticals is on track for the FDA review of paltusotine, with a PDUFA date set for September 25, 2025, for the treatment of acromegaly [5][6] - The company is initiating a Phase 3 study for atumelnant aimed at normalizing androstenedione levels in adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) [3][6] - Crinetics has a strong financial position with $1.3 billion in cash and equivalents as of March 31, 2025, expected to fund operations into 2029 [10][14] Regulatory and Clinical Developments - The FDA review process for paltusotine's New Drug Application (NDA) is progressing positively, with consistent engagement from the FDA [6] - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the marketing authorization application (MAA) for paltusotine, with a potential decision expected in the first half of 2026 [6] - The Phase 2 TouCAHn study of atumelnant in CAH has shown positive results, leading to the initiation of a Phase 3 CALM-CAH study [6][10] Financial Performance - Revenues for the first quarter of 2025 were $0.4 million, down from $0.6 million in the same period of 2024, primarily from a licensing agreement for paltusotine [10][14] - Research and development expenses increased to $76.2 million in Q1 2025 from $53.3 million in Q1 2024, driven by clinical program advancements [10][14] - The net loss for Q1 2025 was $96.8 million, compared to a net loss of $66.9 million in Q1 2024 [10][14] Upcoming Milestones - R&D Day is scheduled for June 26, 2025, to discuss early-stage pipeline strategies and data [3][10] - The company plans to initiate the CAREFNDR Phase 3 trial of paltusotine in carcinoid syndrome in the second half of 2025 [10] - Initiation of the CALM-CAH Phase 3 study in adults and a Phase 2/3 study in pediatrics is expected in the second half of 2025 [10]