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news.MedImmune, a biotechnology company, has initiated a Phase II clinical trial in patients with chronic asthma to determine the safety of subcutaneous dosing of a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-5 receptor.
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MEDI-563, which was generated using BioWa’s Potelligent technology platform, has previously been investigated in a Phase I open-label dose-escalating study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a single intravenous infusion in adults with mild-to-moderate asthma.
According to the company, data from the completed Phase I study demonstrated that the antibody was well-tolerated with biologic activity producing substantial and prolonged depletion of blood eosinophils, thus supporting its continued development.
The antibody is also currently being evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I study to evaluate the safety and tolerability and effects of the antibody on airway eosinophils in adults with asthma.
Nestor Molfino, vice president of clinical development for pulmonary disease, said: “Asthma can be a very debilitating disease, and despite current therapies, patients are in need of novel treatment options. Some asthmatics may show an increased circulation of eosinophils in blood – a certain type of white blood cell believed to play a critical role in the severity and disease pathway of asthma; therefore administration of this antibody may increase asthma control.”