MS Speaks

A small study but the article appears in the official journal of the AAN.

From Neurology, Neuroimmunology, and Neuroinflammation, June 2015 (published online March 12, 2015):

Preclinical development and first-in-human study of ATX-MS-1467 for immunotherapy of MS

Heather B. Streeter, PhD, Rachel Rigden, PhD, Keith F. Martin, PhD, Neil J. Scolding, PhD, FRCP and David C. Wraith, PhD

AUTHOR AFFILIATIONS:

From Apitope Technology Bristol Ltd. (H.B.S., R.R., K.F.M., D.C.W.), Bristol UK; School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (H.B.S., D.C.W.) and School of Clinical Sciences (N.J.S.), University of Bristol, UK; and Southmead Hospital (N.J.S.), Bristol, UK.

Correspondence to Dr. Wraith: d.c.wraith@bris.ac.uk

Objective:

The study was designed to test the efficacy of ATX-MS-1467 in a relevant preclinical model and to assess its safety for the treatment of patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS).

Methods:

ATX-MS-1467 was tested for its ability to suppress experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the (Ob x DR2)F1 mouse both before and after disease onset. Safety was assessed by clinical assessment, MRI analysis, and the measurement of immune responses to self- and nonself-antigens in patients with SPMS.

Results:

ATX-MS-1467 displayed a dose-dependent inhibition of EAE and was more effective than glatiramer acetate in the treatment of ongoing disease in humanized mice. A phase 1 open-label dose-escalating study demonstrated that ATX-MS-1467 was safe and well-tolerated in a group of 6 patients with SPMS, up to a dose of 800 µg.

Conclusions:

The results of this study support further development of ATX-MS-1467 in a clinical trial powered to investigate the immunologic and clinical benefits of treatment in relapsing-remitting MS.

Classification of evidence:

This study provides Class IV evidence that ATX-MS-1467 is safe and tolerated in a group of 6 patients with SPMS.

The article is open access and is available here.