CombinatoRx Arthritis Drug Shows Results

CombinatoRx Says Arthritis Medication Shows Promising Early Phase II Trial Data

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- Drug maker CombinatoRx Inc. said Monday that early data in a midstage clinical trial for its experimental arthritis medication showed it reached both primary and secondary endpoints.
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In a Phase II clinical trial, rheumatoid arthritis patients were given either study drug CRx-102 or a placebo, and all patients were given an unnamed disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug.

The primary endpoint looked for the presence of C-reactive protein, which is associated with the inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. Patients in the CRx-102 group had an average 50 percent reduction in the protein after 42 days compared with 19 percent in the placebo group.

CRx-102 and CRx-139 are oral synergistic combination drug candidates with novel mechanisms of action targeting multiple biological pathways simultaneously. Synergistic combinations are comprised of two compounds acting together to provide a novel therapeutic effect which neither compound can achieve alone. CRx-102 contains the cardiovascular drug dipyridamole [a drug used in coagulation disorders]and an unconventionally low dose of the steroid prednisolone. CRx-139 contains paroxetine, an SSRI,[selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor] and a low dose of the steroid prednisolone. The goal here is to slow down or stop the immune system from attacking the body without immune comprimise in chronic inflammation.



In secondary endpoints, 63 percent of CRx-102 users had at least a 20 percent improvement in their tender and swollen joint count, compared with 30 percent of patients in the placebo group.

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