Alkermes治疗MS药物进入临床一期研究

最近Alkermes公司开发的治疗多发性硬化症药物ALKS8700进入临床一期研究，公司希望这一产品在未来能够与Biogen公司治疗多发性硬化症的长效药Tecfidera抗衡。公司目前已经招募了125名患者用于检测这一药物的安全性以及患者对药物的耐受剂量等。ALKS8700是一种通过抑制多发性硬化症患者体内富马酸单甲酯进而缓解患者症状的药物。

而目前市场上最畅销的多发性硬化症药物要数Biogen公司的Tecfidera，这种药物是通过过量富马酸单甲酯来抑制人体免疫系统从而治疗多发性硬化症。Alkermes公司希望ALKS8700能够在未来与Tecfidera分庭抗礼。

详细英文报道：

Alkermes ($ALKS) has its sights set on Biogen Idec's ($BIIB) blockbuster multiple sclerosis treatment, advancing a me-better candidate of its own into Phase I study.

ALKS 8700 is a novel drug designed to convert to monomethyl fumarate in the body and relieve MS symptoms. The biotech is kicking off a 125-patient, randomized Phase I trial to determine the safety and tolerability of multiple formulations and doses of the oral drug, looking to nail down the ideal setup for further study.

Tecfidera, Biogen's multibillion-dollar oral MS treatment, is a twice-daily drug that uses the active ingredient dimethyl fumarate to suppress the immune systems and treat the disease. Alkermes believes it has a shot at developing a successor that will allow for once-a-day dosing with fewer side effects, and ALKS 8700's first clinical trial will light the way for what could be a disruptive force in the MS market.

"We expect the results of this study to be highly informative and determine the therapeutic utility and differentiating features of ALKS 8700," Chief Medical Officer Elliot Ehrich said in a statement. "ALKS 8700 leverages Alkermes' expertise in prodrug chemistry and oral controlled-release formulations to offer potential differentiated tolerability and dosing for patients with MS."

ALKS 8700 is the leader among Alkermes' latest crop of pipeline therapies, which includes the preclinical ALKS 7106, an abuse-deterrent pain drug, and RDB 1419, an IL-2 immunotherapy for cancer. The biotech is focused on therapeutics that allow it to use its know-how in drug delivery and novel formulations to improve upon best-selling drugs, CEO Richard Pops has said, a philosophy that extends to its later-stage pipeline, highlighted by the schizophrenia treatment ALKS 3831 and depression drug ALKS 5461.

Tecfidera, formerly BG-12, has soared since launching last year, bringing in $1.4 billion in its first four quarters on the market and taking pole position in the MS market.