Positive early data on Hollis-Eden's HE3286

The USA's Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals is due to present strong new early data on its experimental drug candidate, HE3286, an orally-active novel synthetic steroid hormone, at the 5th International Congress on Autoimmune Diseases, held in Sorrento, Italy.

Highlights from its presentation include findings demonstrating HE3286 had a dramatic benefit in a rodent model of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, in a collagen-induced arthritis model, HE3286 significantly reduced the severity of disease and decreased disease over the course of the study compared to placebo. Moreover, histological analysis of joint tissue conducted at the end of the study indicated a marked reduction of tissue damage in the HE3286-treated animals compared to placebo.

The San Diego-based drugmaker will also present further in vivo and in vitro data elucidating potential mechanisms of action for HE3286 that include regulation of NF-kappaB and increasing the production of regulatory T cells. NF-kappaB is a well-known transcription regulator that controls the production of inflammatory cytokines.