VBL presents positive preclinical data on VB-201 for rheumatoid arthritis at EULAR

VBL Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to the development of novel treatments for immune-inflammatory diseases and cancer, today announced preclinical data demonstrating that VB-201 possesses anti-inflammatory properties and effectively reduced the symptoms of arthritis in experimental models. These results were presented today at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual European Congress of Rheumatology, by Niva Yacov, M.Sc., project manager at VBL.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to present these data to the rheumatology community, who are well aware of the devastating nature of rheumatoid arthritis”

VB-201 is the first in a new class of drugs and the lead candidate of several proprietary phospholipid analogs from VBL's proprietary Lecinoxoid family that were designed to be orally available, anti-inflammatory medicines. Oxidized phospholipids are abundantly generated in sites of inflammation, but unlike native oxidized phospholipids, which induce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases, Lecinoxoids exhibit anti-inflammatory properties.

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to present these data to the rheumatology community, who are well aware of the devastating nature of rheumatoid arthritis," said Professor Dror Harats, M.D., chief executive officer of VBL. "Today's results are an important part of the VB-201 story and were instrumental in the decision to move forward with our phase 2 clinical trial in patients with psoriasis, which we look forward to sharing."

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovial membrane (the soft tissue that lines the non-cartilaginous surfaces within joints with cavities). A number of activated immune cells can infiltrate the synovium (including CD4+ T-cells, B-cells and antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages). Ongoing immune cells infiltration eventually leads to cartilage and bone destruction.

This study evaluated the efficacy of VB-201 in two validated preclinical models of rheumatoid arthritis (collagen-induced arthritis [CIA] mouse model and adjuvant-induced arthritis [AIA] rat model). VB-201 reduced infiltrates of inflammatory cells in the joints in both experimental models. In the mouse model, VB-201 significantly reduced arthritis incidence and severity (as measured by reduced IL-6 plasma levels and significantly less inflammatory cells and destruction in the arthritic joints). In the rat model, VB-201 prevented the onset of AIA (as measured by significantly reduced arthritis score and paw swelling).