Apitope releases positive results from Phase I clinical study of multiple sclerosis drug

PBR Staff Writer Published 03 September 2013

Drug discovery and development firm Apitope has completed its second Phase I clinical trial of ATX-MS-1467 with positive results.

When patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis were treated with intradermal injection of ATX-MS-1467, the MRI results showed a decrease in the number of contrast-enhancing brain lesions (CEL).

The positive results allow Merck Serono with whom Apitope is developing ATX-MS-1467 to advance its Phase II plans.

Apitope CEO Keith Martin said," The results of this trial in patients with relapsing MS continue to build on the positive data from our first study and provide further clinical support for the Apitope approach to the treatment of serious autoimmune conditions."

Apitope's ATX-MS-1467 treatment is aimed at working with the immune system to treat the underlying cause of disease and restoring immunological balance, rather than just treating the symptoms or suppressing the complete immune system.

Apitope CSO and founder David Wraith said antigen specific immunotherapy is designed to correct the immunological imbalance that causes autoimmune disease without inducing the non-specific immune suppression that so frequently causes unacceptable side effects.

"Up to now this approach has been shown to be highly effective in experimental models but has been slow to progress into the clinic," Wraith added.

"It is, therefore, a major step forward that the approach is proving to be so well tolerated with early signs of potential efficacy, as evidenced by the results of Apitope's two clinical trials in MS."

ATX-MS-1467 is being developed under an agreement between Apitope and Merck Serono, under which Apitope has carried out the Phase I clinical trial, while Merck Serono will be responsible for all development activities from the beginning of Phase II clinical trials.

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Apitope releases positive results from Phase I clinical study of multiple sclerosis drug