ChemoCentryx, Inc., today announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical trial for CCX168, an orally-administered small molecule for the treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), a disease which can lead to renal and pulmonary failure. CCX168 specifically targets the C5a receptor (C5aR), a potent pro-inflammatory mediator that is involved in AAV as well as several other autoimmune diseases. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will evaluate the safety and tolerability of CCX168 in patients with ANCA-associated renal vasculitis while assessing the potential for reducing or eliminating the use of corticosteroids in these patients.
"Having advanced six orally active drugs into the clinic, we believe that we have successfully demonstrated the capabilities of our drug discovery platform and have shown the promise of blocking specific chemokines and chemoattractant cytokines in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases," stated Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and CEO, ChemoCentryx. "Today's announcement is another example of how we are harnessing our drug discovery and development capabilities to address inflammatory and autoimmune diseases that currently have inadequate treatment options."
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