XOMA Presents XOMA 052 Cardiovascular Disease Animal Model Results

XOMA has announced the presentation of peer-reviewed results with XOMA 052, its antibody to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), at two international conferences.

Preclinical results with XOMA 052 in an animal model of cardiovascular disease were presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Society for Leukocyte Biology, International Cytokine Society & International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (Tri-Society) in Lisbon, Portugal. The presentation, entitled ‘XOMA 052, a regulatory monoclonal antibody targeting IL-1 beta, reduces biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in animal models,’ included results of studies in the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mouse model, a well-validated model of atherosclerosis that follows a similar pattern of progression to that of atherosclerosis in humans.

Reportedly, the results demonstrated that mice treated with a murine equivalent of XOMA 052 had a statistically significant reduction in the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, also known as plaque, in the aorta (p<0.05), and trends toward improved lipid profiles, compared to mice receiving a control antibody.

Stephen Doberstein, vice president of research at XOMA, said: “These new results demonstrate for the first time that XOMA 052 has a direct, beneficial effect on plaque build-up in an established animal model of cardiovascular disease. We are currently evaluating XOMA 052 in animal models of acute and chronic cardiovascular disease and anticipate these results will provide further support for our XOMA 052 development program.”

Additionally, the company presented the results of its US phase 1 clinical trial of XOMA 052 in Type 2 diabetes at the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) World Diabetes Conference in Montreal, Canada. The presentation entitled “XOMA 052, a potential disease-modifying anti-interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) regulatory antibody, showed reductions in hs-CRP, HbA1c and FPG after subcutaneous injection in a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial in subjects with type 2 diabetes.”