The study, involving 28 subjects with plaque psoriasis, was designed to evaluate the local and systemic safety of CTA018. Results of the study indicate that the drug is safe and unlikely to produce adverse reactions.
“The phase Ib study results are highly promising,” stated Dr Jukka Karjalainen, vice-president of drug development at Cytochroma. “The results further corroborate existing pre-clinical and clinical safety data of CTA018.”
There is a need for new treatments of psoriasis with current treatments being either inconvenient, showing poor remission rates, and/or having serious side effects. However, it would appear that Canadian company Isotechnika has a head start over Cytochroma, with its promising psoriasis drug currently in late phase development.
Based on the data so far collected Cytochroma plans to initiate a phase II clinical trial with CTA018 in the fourth quarter of 2005.