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2008 is a decisive year for the validation of the
asthma target interleukin-13
Results of two major
phase II studies in asthma expected during 2008 will be a GO/NO GO milestone for
the field of interleukin-13 (IL-13) antagonists.
Barcelona, Spain | Feb 11, 2008 | The Business Intelligence firm La Merie S.L.
reported today that during the year 2008 results of major phase II studies in
asthma with two different interleukin-13 antagonistic antibodies are expected
which will be decisive for the validation of a hot target. Interleukin-13 is
regarded to have a central in the development of allergic asthma, mediating
airway inflammation, obstruction and hyper-reactivity. Asthma affects at least 5
% of the population and 5 to 10 % of them suffer from severe asthma. Asthma is
treated with steroids and bronchodilators, but urgently needs novel therapies.
IL-13 has attracted great interest as a target for injected or inhaled
biologics, including antibodies, proteins, peptides, antisense and small
interfering RNA (siRNA). There are at least 6 clinical stage direct or indirect
IL-13 antagonists in active development. All of them are pursuing asthma as the
clinical lead indication. Further two companies are close to phase I. These
results and more were found in a search and analysis conducted by La Merie
Business Intelligence and published on February 11, 2008.
Clinical information obtained so far from the various IL-13 antagonists
indicates that neutralization of the effects of IL-13 appears to be safe and
well tolerated and shows signs of clinical activity in asthma. There are various
approaches to neutralize the effects of IL-13: by directly binding to IL-13 and,
thus preventing the cytokine to bind to its receptor and induce signalling; by
blocking one of the two receptor subunits to which IL-13 binds (the IL-13
receptor alpha and the IL-4 receptor alpha which share a common subunit for
binding of IL-13). The Brief Report “Interleukin-13 (IL-13) Antibodies” compiles
the individual profiles of 13 different molecules in development as direct or
indirect antagonists of IL-13 in various clinical indications and provides a
competitor analysis in the field. The current stage of R&D is assessed and
background information on the target, the scientific rational, drug discovery
approaches and clinical indications is given.
SOURCE: La Merie Business
Intelligence
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About La Merie
La Merie S.L. is a Business Intelligence enterprise fully dedicated to provide
high quality R&D information to the biopharmaceutical industry. La Merie offers
individual consultancy services and publishes reports and periodicals.
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R&D Pipeline News is a premier
information source about research and development projects in the pipeline of
the biopharmaceutical industry and is directed to all stakeholders in R&D. The
weekly publication comes in a rapid- and easy-to-screen tabular format and
provides access to the original information source via hyperlinks. R&D Pipeline
News covers all relevant treatment modalities and is directly delivered to the
desktop via e-mail.
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