XOMA announces study to investigate Gevokizumab

XOMA Corporation has revealed a new study to investigate Gevokizumab in patients with non-infectious Anterior Sclereitis.

The open-label-single arm Phase ½ study is engineered to analyse the safety and potential efficacy of gevokizumab in patients suffering from non-infectious, active, anterior scleritis, which is when the sclera becomes inflamed.

This is XOMA's third indication in a program of three proof-of-concept studies for the drug.

Paul Rubin, senior vice president of research and development and chief medical officer of XOMA, said: The NEI is recognized globally for its dedication to improving ocular health, and it has access to patients most in need of potential new therapeutic options.

"We are delighted the NEI team has chosen to study the effect of gevokizumab in these patients."

The NEI is set to enrol ten non-infectious active anterior sceleritis patients with scleral inflammatory grade of greater-than or equal to 1-plus in at least one eye using a standardised photographic sclertis grading system.

As part of the study, all patients will receive 60mg of gevokizumab dosed every four weeks for a 16-week period

Patients who respond will have the option to carry on treatment for an extra 20 weeks, with participants defined as those who experience a 2-step reduction on a five-point scale from 0 to 4 or reach grade 0 in scleral inflammation.

Gevokizumab is a potent monocional antibody that boasts unique allosteric modulating properties, which have the potential to treat patients with a wide range of inflammatory diseases.

Scleritis leads to inflammation and swelling of the scleral and episcleral tissues, and is clarified as an anterior or posterior, while it is also subdivided into diffuse, nodular and necrotising scleretis.

XOMA combines a mix of innovative therapeutic antibodies to help launch commercial operations.

Gevokizumab is being developed with Servier through a global Phase 3 program in non-infectious uveltis and proof-of-concept studies.