Patients receiving daclizumab 2mg/kg subcutaneously every two weeks showed a significant reduction in the number of new or enlarged gadolinium-contrast-enhancing lesions (Gd-CELs) at week 24.
Daclizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the IL-2 receptor on activated T cells. Based on a joint review of the 24-week data, the companies plan to initiate a phase II monotherapy trial of daclizumab, and to advance the overall clinical development program in relapsing MS.
“We are very pleased to see positive results from the first randomized trial of daclizumab in patients with relapsing MS, and we look forward to advancing the clinical development program with our partner and acknowledged leader in the MS field, Biogen Idec,” said Mark McCamish, chief medical officer for PDL BioPharma.
PDL and Biogen Idec entered into a collaboration agreement in 2005 to co-develop and commercialize daclizumab in MS and indications other than transplant and respiratory diseases. Under the collaboration, the companies are also co-developing volociximab (also known as M200), an antibody in phase II development for the treatment of various solid tumors.