News on Il-1RII receptor and arthritis. More relevant to VRTX/Aventis and AMGN, but it isn't too late for REGN IL-1 traps.
I guess, street didn't understand MEDX-REGN 50:50 collaborations. It isn't elimination of the trap technology. It is expansion and supplement for many biological targets where genetically engineered human mAb is quick and cheapest way now.
BTW, unconfirmed rumor was that initial price for secondary was @51, but market didn't support well stock price in last two weeks. Maybe now they have second chance.
Miljenko
IL-1 Blockade Inhibits Murine Arthritis
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WESTPORT, Mar 23 (Reuters Health) - Inhibition of IL-1 by gene therapy in mice with collagen-induced arthritis has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, researchers report in the March issue of the European Journal of Immunology.
Dr. Natacha Bessis of Universite Paris-Nord, Bobigny, France, and colleagues, note that "IL-1 is a key cytokine involved in the inflammatory response. The type II receptor of IL-1 (IL-1RII)," they add, "acts as a decoy receptor, binding and inhibiting the effect of IL-1."
The investigators found that "IL-1-stimulated murine macrophage cells showed a decreased expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the presence of human IL-1RII." When mice developing collagen-induced arthritis, a model of inflammatory arthritis, were treated with human IL-1RII transfected cells "clinical and histological parameters of arthritis were significantly decreased."
In addition, expression of mRNA for IL-6 and myeloperoxidase was reduced in the joints of the treated animals. Myeloperoxidase, the researchers point out, "is required for release of reactive oxygen intermediates from neutrophils, which are the cells with the greatest potential for inflicting damage in diseased joints."
These findings, the team concludes, show that human IL-1RII has anti-inflammatory properties in a murine arthritis model and "could have a regulatory role in rheumatoid arthritis."
Eur J Immunol 2000;30:867-875. |
