Contineum Therapeutics Shifts Focus to IPF, Delaying MS and Fibrotic Disease Programs

Contineum Therapeutics, a San Diego-based biotech company, has announced a strategic pipeline restructuring, prioritizing its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) program while delaying two other projects. This move positions the company for a potential showdown with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in the IPF market.

Pipeline Realignment

Contineum has decided to postpone the initiation of a phase 2 trial for PIPE-791 in progressive multiple sclerosis (PrMS) and delay the progress of CTX-343 into first-in-human studies. These decisions allow the company to concentrate its resources on advancing PIPE-791, an LPA1 antagonist, into a phase 2 trial for IPF in the fourth quarter of this year.

The company's shift in focus comes as BMS has already begun phase 3 trials of its competing IPF drug, BMS-986278 (admilparant), in 2023. Despite this head start, analysts from William Blair believe Contineum may still have opportunities to differentiate its candidate, citing potential advantages over BMS's drug, which has shown hypotensive events in phase 2 and requires a "protracted dose titration schedule" in its phase 3 program.

Financial Implications and Research Progress

Contineum's financial disclosures reveal the company spent $2.7 million on CTX-343 development in the first half of 2025, up from less than $1 million in the same period of 2024. The primary focus, PIPE-791, accounted for $11.7 million in R&D costs during the first six months of 2025, reflecting work across multiple indications.

Despite the pipeline adjustments, Contineum maintains its earlier forecast that its current cash reserves of $175.5 million, as of June's end, will fund operations through 2027. This financial stability allows the company to proceed with its planned phase 2 IPF trial starting in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Ongoing Clinical Trials and Future Outlook

While Contineum is redirecting its efforts towards IPF, the company continues to progress in other areas. Phase 1b trials of PIPE-791 in PrMS and chronic pain are ongoing, with data expected in the coming months. These studies, along with the upcoming IPF trial, will be crucial in determining the potential of PIPE-791 across multiple indications.

The company's strategic decisions reflect a careful balancing act between pursuing promising opportunities in IPF and managing resources across its pipeline. As Contineum advances its programs, the pharmaceutical industry will be watching closely to see how its candidates perform against established competitors like BMS in the evolving landscape of fibrotic and neurological diseases.