XOMA Announces Clinical and Preclinical Presentations At American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions
BERKELEY, Calif., May 26, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- XOMA Ltd. (Nasdaq:XOMA), a leader in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies, announced that the following presentations related to its XOMA 052 anti-interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta antibody will take place at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions, to be held at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana from June 5 to 9:
* Abstract # 113-OR: XOMA 052, a potential disease modifying anti
IL-1-beta antibody, shows sustained HbA1c reductions three months
after a single injection with no increase in safety parameters in
subjects with Type 2 diabetes. The oral presentation will be on
Saturday, June 6 at 4:15 pm (Central time) in the Louisiane C
Room at the convention center. Marc Y. Donath, M.D., a pioneer in
anti-inflammatory approaches to Type 2 diabetes, Professor at the
University Hospital of Zurich and European XOMA 052 clinical
trial principal investigator, is the presenter.
* Abstract # 310-OR: XOMA 052, an anti IL-1-beta antibody, improves
glucose control, beta cell function, and insulin resistance in
the diet-induced obesity mouse model. The oral presentation will
be on Monday, June 8 at 3:15 pm (Central time) in Room 217 at the
convention center. Seema Kantak, Ph.D., XOMA's Director of
Pharmacology, is the presenter.
* Abstract # 1656-P: Free fatty acids induce a pro-inflammatory
response in islets via the abundantly expressed interleukin-1
receptor I. The poster presentation will be on Monday, June 8
from noon to 2:00 pm (Central time) in Hall E at the convention
center. Marianne Boni-Schnetzler, Ph.D., Senior Scientist at the
University Hospital of Zurich is the lead presenter.
About XOMA 052
XOMA 052 is a potent monoclonal antibody with the potential to improve the treatment of patients with a wide variety of inflammatory diseases. XOMA 052 binds strongly to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the development of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and other diseases. By binding to IL-1 beta, the drug inhibits the activation of the IL-1 receptor, thereby preventing the cellular signaling events that produce inflammation. XOMA 052 has a half-life of 22 days. Based on its binding properties, specificity to IL-1 beta and half-life, XOMA 052 may provide convenient dosing of once per month or less frequently.
XOMA has completed enrollment in Phase 1 trials for XOMA 052 in nearly 100 Type 2 diabetes patients and anticipates announcing top-line data from its U.S. trial in July. The trials were designed to evaluate a wide range of XOMA 052 doses, single and multiple dose regimens, and intravenous and subcutaneous routes of administration. Interim results from the single dose intravenous trials presented last autumn demonstrated that XOMA 052 was well-tolerated across all doses and demonstrated biological activity, including reduced levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, increased insulin production and decreased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) as compared to placebo. Elevated CRP is an established marker for the systemic inflammation associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
These interim results support the potential for XOMA 052 as a novel anti-inflammatory approach to diabetes treatment. XOMA plans to initiate a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in Type 2 diabetes in the third quarter of 2009.
XOMA developed XOMA 052 using the company's proprietary antibody technologies, capabilities and expertise. XOMA owns worldwide rights to the antibody and related intellectual property. The company is actively pursuing a partnership for the development and commercialization of XOMA 052.
The central role of the IL-1 pathway in multiple diseases has been clinically validated by two FDA-approved therapies and several inhibitors of the inflammatory IL-1 pathway in clinical development. These disease indications include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, gout, Muckle-Wells syndrome, and others.
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