Neuroprotective properties of laquinimod for RRMS presented at 26th ECTRIMS Congress

Oct 15 2010

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA) and Active Biotech (NASDAQ OMX NORDIC: ACTI) announced today that data providing further evidence of the neuroprotective properties of laquinimod in animal studies were presented at the 26^th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Gothenburg, Sweden. Laquinimod is an investigational, once-daily oral immunomodulator for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

“These results add to the accumulating body of data establishing the novel MOA of laquinimod. These MOA studies suggest that laquinimod has the potential to prevent demyelination, which is associated with multiple sclerosis, and therefore may provide neuroprotection in the treatment of RRMS”

These results, generated from several pre-clinical studies evaluating the mechanism of action (MOA) of oral laquinimod, demonstrated that:

• Laquinimod reverts the disruption of neurogenic processes that can occur with chronic inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS), and is associated with a significant reduction in the percentage of demyelination and axonal damage.
• Laquinimod differentially influenced the activity of select immune cells, reducing their pro-inflammatory characteristics while increasing the production of neurotrophic factors known to be involved in neuroprotection and repair mechanisms.
• Laquinimod treatment is associated with an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a pivotal factor in the development and maintenance of the CNS.

"These results add to the accumulating body of data establishing the novel MOA of laquinimod. These MOA studies suggest that laquinimod has the potential to prevent demyelination, which is associated with multiple sclerosis, and therefore may provide neuroprotection in the treatment of RRMS," said Prof. Ralf Gold, Department of Neurology, St. Josef-Spital, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. "Research is ongoing to further evaluate laquinimod, and we look forward to additional data, including the forthcoming results from the Phase III clinical development program."

Laquinimod received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2009. Two global Phase III clinical studies, ALLEGRO and BRAVO, have completed enrollment and are currently ongoing, with results anticipated in 2011.

SOURCE Active Biotech AB