Current Opinion in Lipidology journal publishes data on VB-201 for immune-mediated disorders

VBL Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to the development of novel treatments for immune-inflammatory diseases and cancer, today announced the publication of a new concept in the Current Opinion in Lipidology evaluating oxidized phospholipid analogs as potential treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases. Researchers conclude that VB-201, the lead compound in a new class of drug candidates developed by VBL called Lecinoxoids, serves as proof of concept that anti-inflammatory phospholipids may offer a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of immune-mediated disorders. The article appears in the December 2010 issue of the Current Opinion in Lipidology.

“For the first time, this paper reviews the entire canon of research on the inflammatory properties of oxidized phospholipids and allows us to conclude that oxidized phospholipid analogs have tremendous therapeutic potential in treating immune-mediated diseases, including psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis”

"For the first time, this paper reviews the entire canon of research on the inflammatory properties of oxidized phospholipids and allows us to conclude that oxidized phospholipid analogs have tremendous therapeutic potential in treating immune-mediated diseases, including psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis," said Professor Dror Harats, M.D., chief executive officer of VBL and lead author of the paper. "We are pleased to see these findings published, as they validate our novel approach to treat these challenging diseases by pioneering a new class of medicines. Our lead compound VB-201, an oral drug exhibiting excellent bioavailability and long half-life, is currently in a Phase II clinical trial to treat psoriasis, and has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and atherosclerosis."

The researchers reviewed the current literature on inflammatory properties of oxidized phospholipids and found that while they have long been known to play an active role in the progression of inflammatory diseases; recent studies also show that oxidized phospholipids demonstrate unique anti-inflammatory properties. The research describes the differential effects of oxidized phospholipids and the way in which they can act as mediators of inflammation. These findings support the development of phospholipid analogs as potential treatment options for chronic inflammatory diseases.