Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDRA) today announced positive top-line data from its randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled Phase 2 trial of IMO-8400 in 32 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The primary objective of the trial was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of IMO-8400 over a 12-week treatment period, with a secondary objective to evaluate the clinical activity of IMO-8400. The trial met its primary objective as all treatments were well tolerated with no treatment related discontinuation, serious adverse events or dose reductions. IMO-8400 treatment met the secondary objective of demonstrating clinical activity in patients with psoriasis, as assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). IMO-8400, which is Idera's lead clinical candidate, is an antagonist of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 7, 8, and 9. Idera's strategy is to develop IMO-8400 for the treatment of genetically defined forms of B-cell lymphoma and orphan autoimmune diseases.
"Successful completion of this trial is an important additional milestone in our TLR antagonist program. We have studied psoriasis as the initial disease indication to demonstrate clinical proof of concept for our TLR antagonists in autoimmune diseases," said Sudhir Agrawal, D. Phil., Chief Executive Officer of Idera Pharmaceuticals. "With these data, we can now pursue our announced business strategy and advance our TLR antagonist drug candidates for the treatment of orphan diseases with high unmet medical need. Towards this goal, our clinical development strategy for IMO-8400 is focused on B-cell lymphomas harboring the MYD88 L265P mutation, and on orphan autoimmune disease indications. Over the remainder of 2014, we anticipate enrolling patients in IMO-8400 trials for Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and polymyositis and dermatomyositis."
"We are very pleased to have met the goals of this trial related to safety and tolerability over three months of dosing, and to have obtained evidence of clinical activity with IMO-8400 in psoriasis patients. This provides further validation of the scientific rationale of blocking over-activation of specific TLRs," commented Lou Brenner, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Idera Pharmaceuticals. "These data also support our clinical development plans for IMO-8400 in genetically defined forms of B-cell lymphoma and orphan autoimmune diseases."
The trial met its primary objective of demonstrating safety and tolerability at all three dose levels. For all subjects, treatment was well tolerated with no treatment related discontinuation, serious adverse events or dose reductions.
The trial also met a secondary objective of demonstrating clinical activity based on PASI scores. Among patients who completed 12 weeks of treatment per protocol, PASI 50 was achieved in nine (45%) of 20 who received IMO-8400 at any dose level, and in one (14%) of seven who received placebo. PASI 75 was achieved in four (20%) of IMO-8400 treated patients at any dose level, and in zero placebo patients. PASI 50 and PASI 75 are defined as 50% and 75% improvement, respectively, compared to baseline PASI.
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