SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2002-- ChemoCentryx, Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial in the United Kingdom by its partner, Tularik Inc., (Nasdaq:TLRK - News), for T487, an oral anti-inflammatory drug candidate.
T487 is the most advanced clinical candidate in ChemoCentryx's broad pipeline of small molecule chemokine receptor antagonists to correct or modify immune system response. This study is designed as a dose-escalating trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of T487 in up to 30 healthy volunteers. T487 targets a specific cell surface receptor and is expected to reduce inflammation in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.
"We are excited to be working with Tularik to support the advancement of our first clinical candidate into Phase I studies," commented Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and CEO of ChemoCentryx. "Advancing T487 into human trials serves as continued validation of the quality of our science and our pipeline. This anti-inflammatory drug candidate represents the first of many novel chemokine-based medicines to come out of our drug discovery programs."
"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, Ph.D., CEO of Tularik. "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."
T487 is a small molecule compound designed to inhibit the chemokine activity underlying inflammatory disease by binding to a single chemokine receptor without impairing other important immune system functions. In preclinical models, T487 achieved the desired therapeutic effect and exhibited strong oral bioavailability, high potency and excellent selectivity with no apparent side effects.
Under a collaboration that was initiated in 1999, Tularik is evaluating T487 for potential application in a range of inflammatory disorders. Tularik retains worldwide commercialization rights to T487, while ChemoCentryx will receive certain payments in connection with the development and marketing of T487.
Discovering New Medicines that Regulate the Chemokine System
T487 represents the lead drug candidate in ChemoCentryx's pipeline of novel, orally available medicines to address important diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular disease. In addition, ChemoCentryx is developing powerful peptide-based immunostimulants with potential application as superadjuvants, prophylactic supervaccines and therapeutic vaccines. The company is a world leader in the biology of the chemokine system, the "master regulator" of immune response. Due to their critical role in immune system regulation, chemokines and chemokine receptors present a rich opportunity for the development of new therapies. Through its proprietary understanding of the chemokine system, ChemoCentryx is able to create potent and specific compounds that achieve the desired therapeutic effect with a minimum of side effects and to markedly accelerate drug discovery and development.
About ChemoCentryx
ChemoCentryx, Inc. is developing novel medicines for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, cancer, infectious disease and transplant rejection. Founded in 1997, the company is a world leader in the biology of the chemokine system, the "master regulator" of immune response. The company focuses on potent, new classes of small molecule drugs to selectively inhibit chemokine activity and on peptide-based therapeutics as immunostimulants. Based in San Carlos, California, ChemoCentryx is privately held. For further information, please consult the company's website at www.chemocentryx.com. |
