ChemoCentryx announces the initiation of Phase I clinical trial of CCX168

ChemoCentryx, Inc., today announced the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial of CCX168, an orally-administered small molecule designed to treat autoimmune diseases.  CCX168 is a highly potent and very selective compound that specifically targets the C5a receptor (C5aR), a component of the body's complement system and a potent driver of the inflammatory response associated with autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, certain types of vasculitis, age-related macular degeneration and rheumatoid arthritis.  The initiation of this Phase I trial triggered a $10 million milestone payment from GSK.

"CCX168 marks the fifth product candidate that we have generated from our drug discovery platform and successfully taken into clinical development," stated Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx.  "We have no doubt firmly established ourselves as the leaders in developing oral drugs targeting the chemokine and chemoattractant systems.  Furthermore, we have demonstrated the ability to develop a compound targeting C5aR, which has up to now proved to be an enormous challenge for the pharmaceutical industry.  As a result, we bring to clinical development a C5aR antagonist unlike any other compound that has been developed to date. We are very excited over the promise that this novel drug candidate may hold for the future treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases."