CAN10 Counters Scleroderma Development in Preclinical Study
Cantargia’s investigational antibody treatment, CAN10, showed promise in an animal model of systemic sclerosis (or scleroderma), normalizing several biological indicators of disease and counteracting disease development in the skin and lungs.
“We are excited about these new results, showing strong effects of CAN10 in a systemic sclerosis model. Cantargia is committed to develop new therapies for life-threatening diseases and we look forward to advance this promising project to treatment of patients,” Göran Forsberg, Cantargia CEO, said in a press release.
Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis — scar tissue formation — affecting the skin and connective tissue, which supports, protects, and gives structure to other tissues and organs in the body.
The CAN10 antibody works by binding interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP), blocking interleukin-1, interleukin-33, and interleukin-36 signaling. Interleukin signaling plays an important role in stimulating immune responses, inflammation, and scarring. CAN10 is under development for use in scleroderma and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).
This new set of results showed that a surrogate CAN10 antibody led to decreased disease development in both the skin and lungs of a scleroderma model.
Further skin analysis in this model showed that CAN10 normalized several biological indicators of disease that were dysregulated in skin biopsies (skin samples) from scleroderma patients. According to Cantargia, this suggests potential to yield similar benefits in patients with IL1RAP inhibition.
These results support the continued clinical development of the treatment, with full results to be presented at a scientific conference in the first quarter of this year.
Additionally, Cantargia plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial of CAN10 later this year.
Previous preclinical results found that CAN10 significantly countered development of myocarditis in an animal model. Additional results showed that it suppressed inflammation in models of inflammatory disease as assessed by disease development and biomarkers.
Furthermore, CAN10 has shown greater activity as compared with other IL-1 suppressing therapies, such as antibodies against IL-1-beta and anakinra — which is marketed as Kineret to treat certain autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Toxicology studies evaluating the safety and pharmacokinetics — the movement of the medication into, through, and out of the body — have also been completed for single administration of different doses of CAN10 up to 50 milligrams/kilogram.
These studies showed no toxicity or safety concerns following CAN10 treatment. The therapy was found at expected levels in the blood.
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