Aquinox Pharmaceuticals has opened Phase 2 KINSHIP study of AQX-1125 in atopic dermatitis

The following alert is from our UpdatesPlus service. This service monitors and analyzes breaking journal articles, clinical trials and R&D news across the inflammatory disease spectrum - to access our most recent issue of UpdatesPlus-Atopic Dermatitis including a full development landscape and clinical  timeline please contact fiona.watts@leaddiscovery.co.uk 

• AQX-1125 is an oral SHIP1 activator that has been shown to reduce immune cell activation and migration
• SHIP1 is a protein preferentially expressed in haematopoietic cells and which inhibits the PI3K pathway
  
• The atopic dermatitis study is enrolling 50 adult patients with mild-moderate disease
• The primary endpoint is change in Total Lesion Symptom Score (TLSS) after 12wks.  Data are expected by the end of 2015
  

Link to Aquinox press release

Comments:  AQX-1225 has already demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical studies, reducing release of  various cytokines including GM-CSF, IL-6, TNF alpha, IL-2 and IL-4 from splenocytes.  Chemotaxic was also reduced when a range of inflammatory cells and chemotactic agents were probed.  In vivo, AQX-1225 has demonstrated efficacy in experimental models of atopic inflammation (passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and OVA-induced asthma models) and neutrophilic inflammation (cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary inflammation). In the clinic, oral AQX-1225 demonstrated a linear PK profile and good safety.  In addition, efficacy has been demonstrated in a clinical model of COPD.  This model involves administration of LPS to volunteers, which results in neutrophil elevation in the sputum.  AQX-1225 reduced neutrophil counts by 62% [company data].  Since this study, Phase 2 studies have opened for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and COPD.  COPD is the lead indication with this study enrolling 400 patients

AQX-1225 has previously demonstrated efficacy in the
PCA model, a simple assay of dermal inflammation