The trial, which enrolled 103 patients in the US and Canada, studied the effect of a 12 week treatment of CRx-140 compared to low-dose cyclosporine. However, the drug failed to show a statistically significant greater reduction in symptoms of severe psoriasis than cyclosporine.
In the trial, psoriasis symptoms were measured as scores on the physician global assessment (PGA) and psoriasis area severity index (PASI) scales.
“The preliminary results from this first phase IIa trial of CRx-140 are clearly disappointing,” said Dr Jan Lessem, chief medical officer of CombinatoRx. “Both CRx-140 and low dose cyclosporine decreased PGA and PASI, but the results of the two arms were not statistically different, nor was the magnitude of the effects sufficient to warrant further development.”
The company now says that it will focus its developmental efforts on other areas of its pipeline.