AutoImmune's Colloral Shows Efficacy In Rheumatoid Arthritis

AutoImmune of the USA has announced positive results from its Phase II trial of Colloral (A1200), a candidate treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

AutoImmune's technology is based on the fact that the immune system is tolerant to orally-administered antigens. Oral administration of the autoantigens in autoimmune disease, the firm believes, can be exploited to downregulate the inappropriate immune system response. In the Phase II trial, Colloral was administered at provisional doses of up to 20mcg.

At this dose, Colloral achieved significant improvements compared to placebo, as measured by the Paulus standard criteria for therapeutic response. Favorable trends were seen at the 20mcg dose for various measures, including the number of tender joints, the number of swollen joints, physician global assessment scores and patient global assessment scores. The drug was safe and well-tolerated at all dose levels, according to AutoImmune, and the company says it will now proceed with a dose-refinement study. Full details of the data from the Phase II study will be presented at a scientific meeting in the fall.