Avidia initiates trial of Crohn’s disease inhibitor

C326 is an inhibitor of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and is the first in a new class of therapeutic proteins known as Avimer proteins.

“We believe that C326 may positively impact patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis. C326 represents the first of a number of Avimer therapeutic candidates that we hope to have enter the clinic in the next few years,” said Peter Van Vlasselaer, Avidia’s CEO.

The study is evaluating the safety and tolerability profile of C326 versus placebo in adults with Crohn’s disease. The trial is being conducted in Australia.

“This is an exciting potential therapeutic for a difficult-to-treat disease,” said Pat Walicke, vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs. “IL-6 has been shown to mediate the inflammatory response in Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory diseases. These conditions have few good treatment alternatives and require very careful monitoring of those therapeutic options to achieve management and control of the disease.”