Icagen initiates Phase II asthma study

Icagen, a biopharmaceutical company, has initiated a Phase II proof-of-concept study of senicapoc, a novel orally available small molecule inhibitor of the KCa3.1 potassium ion channel, in patients with exercise-induced asthma.

This study complements an ongoing proof-of-concept study in patients with allergic asthma which the company initiated during the fourth quarter of 2008.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of senicapoc on pulmonary function in patients with exercise-induced asthma. Approximately 60 patients from 15 clinical research centers in the US will be randomized (1:1) to receive senicapoc or placebo once a day for four weeks.

The primary efficacy analysis is the comparison between treatment arms in the percent change in FEV1, the amount of air that can be forcefully exhaled in one second, following exercise. Results from this study are expected later in 2009.

Kay Wagoner, CEO of Icagen, said: The initiation of this trial marks another important milestone for Icagen. We believe that the novel mechanisms represented by each of our clinical stage compounds, senicapoc for asthma and ICA-105665 for epilepsy and neuropathic pain, demonstrate the innovative approaches that we are able to bring to bear as a result of our ion channel drug discovery platform.