Rigel Presents Clinical Data at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Thursday March 17, 7:30 am ET
- Rigel's R112 Compound, an Intranasal Syk-kinase Inhibitor, Shows Statistical Improvement for Symptoms of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis in a Park Environment
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL - News) today announced that data from a recent Phase II clinical study of R112, Rigel's lead compound for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, will be presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) conference on Sunday, March 20, 2005 from 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. CT. Dr. Eli O. Meltzer of the Allergy & Asthma Medical Group and Research Center will present the data at a podium session that suggests Rigel's R112 compound shows potential as a promising new treatment for seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Event: AAAAI Conference
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
200 E. Market St., San Antonio, TX Session: Oral Abstract Session #3506
Rhinitis, Sinusitis and Ocular Disease: Treatment
Room 213, Concourse Level, Convention Center Date: Sunday, March 20, 2005, 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. CT Speaker: Eli O. Meltzer, MD, Allergy & Asthma Medical
Group and Research Center
Sunday, March 20, 2005, 2:30 p.m. CT Topic: Rigel Abstract #556: Effects of Intranasal R112, an
Inhibitor of Syk-kinase, on the Symptoms of Seasonal
Allergic Rhinitis: a 2-Day Park Study Highlights: Dr. Meltzer will present data from a two-day park
study of Rigel's R112 compound, which was tested in a
double-blind, placebo-controlled study of
319 volunteers with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Dr.
Meltzer observed that R112 showed a significant
reduction in global symptom complex compared to
placebo and potentially offers a new treatment for
seasonal allergic rhinitis. About Allergic Rhinitis and R112
Allergic rhinitis involves inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, eustachian tubes, middle ear, sinuses and pharynx. This inflammation is characterized by a complex interaction of inflammatory mediators but ultimately is triggered by an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated response to a foreign allergen. Rigel's R112 compound enters mast cells, binds to an intracellular target and interrupts the signal from the IgE receptor, thus preventing downstream signaling and subsequent chemical mediator release. However, unlike common allergy drugs such as antihistamines or antileukotrienes that block only a single mediator, R112 is designed to block all of the major pathways that are triggered in an allergic attack, potentially making R112 a more effective and comprehensive drug.
Rigel's R112 Phase II clinical studies evaluated 319 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and demonstrated that after 8 hours, R112 significantly reduced the global symptom complex compared to placebo (P=0.0005 and P=0.0016 on day 1 and 2, respectively). Individual symptoms were also significantly improved compared to placebo. As early as 45 minutes after dosing, R112 showed a significant improvement in symptoms over placebo. Adverse effects were indistinguishable between the groups and clinically insignificant.
About Rigel (www.rigel.com) Rigel's mission is to become a source of novel, small-molecule drugs to address large, unmet medical needs. We have four research and development programs investigating treatments for asthma/allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis C and oncology. Our strategy is to initiate clinical trials with at least one new product candidate annually and to pursue partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for late-stage clinical development and commercialization of those product candidates. |
