Phase 1 Trial of Oral Anti-Inflammatory Underway in England

A Phase I clinical trial is underway in England for T487, an oral anti-inflammatory drug candidate that researchers hope may be useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis.

T487 is a small molecule chemokine receptor antagonist that works by correcting or modifying the body's immune system response. T487 is expected to reduce inflammation in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis. In preclinical studies, T487 achieved promising results.

The Phase 1 study is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of T487 in up to 30 healthy volunteers.

"We look forward to the results of this Phase I study of T487. The availability of an oral therapy to treat chronic inflammatory illnesses would represent a major advance for patients, especially those who rely on injectable therapies," said David V. Goeddel, PhD, CEO of Tularik, ChemoCentryx's partner company in England in charge of the drug trial.

"We believe that ChemoCentryx's research in the chemokine area has produced valuable insights into the discovery of small molecules that regulate immune system function," Goeddel added.

Other sources: ChemoCentryx