In the study, one of the company’s proprietary Toll-Like Receptor antagonist candidates was evaluated in a mouse model of experimental encephalomyelitis, a preclinical model of multiple sclerosis. Treatment with this antagonist candidate resulted in reductions of disease symptoms, including leg weakness and inflammatory cell infiltration in and demyelination of the spinal cord.
Sudhir Agrawal, CEO and chief scientific officer of Idera, said: “We are forming an Autoimmune Disease Scientific Advisory Board to assist us in defining clinical development strategy in autoimmune diseases. In 2008, we anticipate initiating preclinical studies of a selected TLR antagonist to support an investigational new drug application.”