Idera Pharmaceuticals Says Experimental Psoriasis Drug Safe For B-Cell Lymphoma Treatment

In a company press release, Idera Pharmaceuticals stated that its experimental psoriasis drug, IMO-8400, was found to be safe and well tolerated in a skin disease study. The drug reduced the severity of skin lesions by 50 percent in nine of the study’s 20 patients. In four patients, that number was as high as 75 percent.  The company argues that this data should support the drug’s development as a treatment for rare autoimmune diseases and a common form of blood cancer.

Indeed, the company released preclinical data last week on the ability of IMO-8400 to inhibit the survival and proliferation of B-Cell lymphoma cells that possess the genetic mutation MYD88 L265P. Sudhir Agrawal, D. Phil, CEO of Idera Pharmaceuticals, said that IMO-8400 has the potential to treat multiple diseases, including B-cell lymphoma. “IMO-8400 has been well tolerated in a recently completed clinical proof-of-concept trial in patients with psoriasis, with a treatment duration of up to twelve weeks, and has shown clinical activity,” said Agrawal. “With the accumulated clinical data on IMO-8400 and the preclinical data presented today, we have a strong foundation to accelerate clinical development in patients with B-cell lymphomas harboring the MYD88 L265P mutation.”

Lou Brenner, SVP and CMO of Idera Pharmaceuticals, echoed that sentiment. “We have carved out a distinct position for IMO-8400 in the clinical development landscape for potential therapies to treat genetically defined forms of B-cell lymphoma and feel that this preclinical data provides additional support for our ongoing efforts,” said Brenner.