KaloBios Commences Clinical Trial of Novel Antibody Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Candidate
Posted on: Thursday, 9 November 2006, 09:00 CST
KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a therapeutic antibody company, announced today that it has begun treating patients in a Phase 1 clinical trial of its experimental rheumatoid arthritis drug, KB002, an engineered human monoclonal antibody. The drug targets and neutralizes the activity of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, (GM-CSF), which is an important activator of macrophages. These cells are a major source of inflammatory cytokines and joint-degrading enzymes and are thought to play a key role in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. KaloBios has initiated the clinical trial of its novel antibody drug candidate in Australia in rheumatoid arthritis patients with active disease.
One percent of the world's population suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that leads to painful inflammation and ultimately destruction of bone joints. Disease Modifying Anti-arthritis Drugs (DMARDs) are the first line therapeutics for rheumatoid arthritis but patients become unresponsive over time. KB002 was discovered at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research of Melbourne, Australia and was licensed to KaloBios in 2004. It is hoped that clinical testing will show that the antibody could be used to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have become resistant to DMARDs and/or anti-TNF drugs.
"This clinical trial represents an important milestone in the early life of KaloBios, advancing us from a research stage firm to a clinical development company," said David Pritchard, chief executive officer of KaloBios.
"GM-CSF is an exciting target that could make an impact on a number of diseases, and we think that there is still a great need for novel rheumatoid arthritis therapies," said Geoffrey Yarranton, executive vice president of Research & Development of KaloBios Pharmaceuticals.
The trial is a single-dose, dose-escalating, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial, which will enroll over thirty rheumatoid arthritis patients at more than five medical centers throughout Australia. Australian patients with rheumatoid arthritis who might be interested in more information about participating should go to the clinical trials section of www.kalobios.com or call 0412 171 010 for information.
About KaloBios
KaloBios Pharmaceuticals is a therapeutic antibody company using its proprietary antibody engineering, humaneering™ and expression technologies for the development of a pipeline of antibody therapeutics. Its two most advanced drug candidates are KB002 and KB001. KB002 is designed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. KB001 is designed to treat life-threatening Pseudomonas lung infections, a common problem of cystic fibrosis and mechanically ventilated patients. For more information, visit www.kalobios.com.
Source: Business Wire
Related Articles
- New Legislation Seeks to Boost Participation in Clinical Trials for Rare Diseases
- Fertility Centers of Illinois Seeks In Vitro Fertilization Patients for Clinical Trial of Investigational Drug That Promotes Pregnancy
- FDA Provides Clearance to Initiate Phase I Clinical Trial With Alzheimer's Disease Drug Product AZD-103
- PBT2 Phase IIa Clinical Trial in Alzheimer's Disease Patients
- Guidant Announces Enrollment of First Patient in Clinical Trial of the World's First Fully Bioabsorbable Drug Eluting Coronary Stent
- Research and Markets: 'Metabolomics' is Especially Suited to the Screening of Patients for Clinical Trials
- Rush University Medical Center Studies New Agent To Treat Lung Cancer Patients; First Clinical Trial of Investigational Therapy to Treat BAC
- Covalent Group, Inc. Signs Letter-of-Intent to Conduct $2.2 Million Multinational Phase 2 Clinical Trial in Cardiovascular Disease
- Predix Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Findings From First Clinical Trial in Alzheimer's Disease Patients
- Alteon Temporarily Suspends Enrollment of New Patients in Clinical Trials of Alagebrium Pending Additional Preclinical Data
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds