In preclinical studies, ATHX-105 has demonstrated a significant reduction of food intake and weight loss in established obesity models and a good safety profile across multiple animal species.
Athersys plans to undertake a phase I trial in healthy volunteers to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of ATHX-105. The phase I study will be conducted in the UK at a site chosen for its substantial experience in obesity and conducting early stage clinical studies. Athersys said that it intends to begin enrollment for the phase I study shortly.
“Based on extensive preclinical studies, we believe that ATHX-105 has the potential to be a highly effective and safe pharmaceutical treatment option for obesity patients,” said John Harrington, executive vice president and chief scientific officer of Athersys. “The compound displays industry-leading selectivity relative to other serotonergic receptors, resulting in a targeted effect of the compound and a strong preclinical safety profile.”
“While Athersys has successfully applied our proprietary drug discovery capabilities to assist other companies, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, in their drug development activities, this represents an important milestone since it represents the first product candidate developed by Athersys researchers to enter clinical studies,” added William Lehmann, president and COO of Athersys.