For the TransCon CNP treatment-naïve cohort, combination treatment resulted in mean annualized growth velocity (AGV) of 9.14 cm/year, with an improvement in mean ACH height Z-score of +0.53 over 26 weeks

Ascendis Pharma A/S announced Week 26 interim analysis results from its ongoing COACH Trial, the first clinical trial to evaluate combination treatment with once-weekly investigational TransCon CNP (navepegritide) and once-weekly TransCon hGH (lonapegsomatropin) in children with achondroplasia. Results demonstrated that TransCon hGH boosted treatment benefits of TransCon CNP, resulting in significant growth and proportionality improvements in children with achondroplasia after 26 weeks of combination treatment, with a safety and tolerability profile consistent with those observed for TransCon hGH and TransCon CNP monotherapies.

TransCon CNP, which is under priority review as a monotherapy for children with achondroplasia by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), is an investigational prodrug of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) administered once weekly, providing continuous exposure of active CNP to receptors on tissues throughout the body, including growth plates and skeletal muscle. TransCon hGH is a prodrug of somatropin administered once weekly, providing sustained release of active, unmodified somatropin. TransCon hGH is approved and marketed as SKYTROFA for the treatment of pediatric growth hormone deficiency and is in development for other indications.

Health Technology Insights: Sharp and MCG Share AI Utilization Success at CMSA 2025

“TransCon CNP as a monotherapy has demonstrated the potential to transform the treatment of achondroplasia, and the COACH Trial at Week 26 demonstrates that TransCon hGH has the potential to boost treatment benefits of TransCon CNP with a safety profile consistent with monotherapies,” said Aimee Shu, M.D., Executive Vice President of Endocrine & Rare Disease Medical Sciences and Chief Medical Officer at Ascendis Pharma. “These results highlight the unique portfolio of once-weekly TransCon CNP and once-weekly TransCon hGH, with complementary modes of action, to improve the treatment landscape for growth disorders and physical functioning.”

COACH Trial Design
The COACH Trial is an ongoing proof-of-concept prospective Phase 2 open-label trial to investigate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of combined treatment with once-weekly TransCon CNP at 100 µg/kg/week and once-weekly TransCon hGH at 0.30 mg/kg/week in children with achondroplasia aged 2 to 11 years. The trial included a cohort of TransCon CNP treatment naïve children (N=12, mean age 4.67 years) and a cohort of TransCon CNP-treated children (N=9, mean age 7.89 years) who had received TransCon CNP (100 µg/kg/week) for a mean of 2.56 years in clinical trials. The trial population is representative of children with achondroplasia, except for the observed growth benefit in the TransCon CNP-treated cohort. The interim analysis will be followed by Week 52 data, expected in Q4 2025, and Ascendis plans to initiate a Phase 3 trial in Q4 2025.

Health Technology Insights: ShiftKey Joins Nashville General to Support Local Nurses

Highlights of the Interim Topline Week 26 COACH Trial Results

  • For TransCon CNP treatment-naïve children, mean annualized growth velocity (AGV) was 9.14 cm/year, representing an increase from baseline at Week 26 of 4.23 cm/year, with an improvement in mean ACH height Z-score of +0.53 over 26 weeks.
  • For TransCon CNP-treated children, mean AGV was 8.25 cm/year, representing an increase from baseline at Week 26 of 3.10 cm/year, with an improvement in mean ACH height Z-score of +0.44 over 26 weeks.
  • Mean AGV with TransCon CNP and TransCon hGH combination treatment exceeded the 97th percentile of average-stature children.
  • Children treated with TransCon hGH and TransCon CNP demonstrated accelerated improvement in body proportionality at Week 26, aligning with the increase in linear growth.
  • Bone age advanced in line with chronologic age.
  • Safety and tolerability data were consistent with those observed for TransCon hGH and TransCon CNP monotherapies; combination treatment was generally well tolerated, with generally mild TEAEs.

About Achondroplasia


Achondroplasia is a rare genetic condition arising from a systemic fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) variant that leads to an imbalance in the effects of the FGFR3 and CNP signaling pathways, estimated to affect more than 250,000 people worldwide. While historically considered a bone growth disorder, the FGFR3 variant seen in achondroplasia is expressed in tissues throughout the body, causing serious muscular, neurological, and cardiorespiratory complications in addition to skeletal dysplasia. Medical complications of achondroplasia vary across different stages of life. Throughout infancy and childhood, observed complications include spinal deformities, enlarged brain ventricles, impaired muscle strength and stamina, hearing deficits and chronic ear infections, upper airway obstructions, sleep-disordered breathing, hip problems, leg bowing, and chronic pain; many of these persist or worsen in adulthood. These medical complications can have detrimental effects on quality of life, physical functioning, and psychosocial function. Individuals with achondroplasia often require multiple surgeries and procedures to alleviate the condition’s many complications.

Health Technology Insights: Polpharma Backs EU Action to Secure Medicine Access

To participate in our interviews, please write to our HealthTech Media Room at sudipto@intentamplify.com

Source – GlobeNewswire