OX914 is developed for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as COPD (smoker’s disease) and asthma. The anti-inflammatory effect is gained by blocking the PDE4 enzyme.
Clinical studies with substances that block PDE4 have shown positive treatment effects but side effects as well, mainly nausea. To date, OX914 has not shown a higher frequency of nausea among patients treated with active substances compared with patients receiving placebo.
|
Name |
OX914 |
| Description |
PDE4-inhibitor |
| Indication |
COPD and Asthma |
| Development phase |
Clinical phase II |
| Partner |
Partnering discussions ongoing |
Market
COPD is a very serious illness involving chronic inflammation in the respiratory tracts (frequently caused by smoking), which leads to progressive and irreversible decrease in lung function. About 7– 8 per cent of the population is estimated to suffer from COPD in various stages. Asthma affects 6–8 per cent of the adult population and some 10 percent of children.
Sales of drugs designed to treat diseases in the respiratory tracts, especially asthma and COPD, totaled USD 29bn in 2007, according to Business Insights’ September 2008 report entitled Innovations and Pipelines for Respiratory Disorders. Asthma patients are treated with inhaled bronchodilating ß2 agonists for fast relief and with inhaled corticosteroids for a long-term anti-inflammatory effect. Combination products with long-term ß2 agonists and steroids are common. However, many would like to avoid steroids as they are viewed as entailing a risk of side effects, such as inhibited growth among children and bone decalcification. Patients with COPD are most often treated with the same drugs as asthma patients and with anticholinergic bronchodilating drugs developed specifically for COPD.
Project status
OX914 has shown favorable effects in preclinical models of COPD and asthma, and Phase I studies have shown highly satisfactory safety and tolerance. An experimental Phase IIa study in Rhinitis has shown that oral treatment with OX914 shows no statistically significant reduction in patient symptoms of nasal irritation with allergens (such as pollen) compared with placebo.