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"With the advancement of CCX025 into the clinic, ChemoCentryx can pursue agreater breadth of diseases associated with CCR9 receptor inhibition with theclear advantage of having two structurally distinct, very potent andhighly-selective oral therapeutics," said Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., Presidentand Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx. "CCX025 is our fourth productcandidate in the clinic, all discovered and developed at ChemoCentryx, andestablishes our position as a leader in the industry in developingchemokine-based therapeutics."
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The Phase I double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of CCX025 is beingconducted in healthy male and female volunteers to evaluate the safety,tolerability and pharmacokinetics of CCX025 over a range of dose levels. Inpreclinical studies, the compound has been shown to be well-tolerated andhighly selective. Like Traficet-EN, CCX025 is differentiated from existinginflammatory bowel disease therapies such as biologics (which are typicallyinjected or infused), steroids and immunosuppressives and may offer a novel,safe and conveniently administered treatment option.
CCX025 and Traficet-EN are oral, highly-specific inhibitors of thechemokine receptor known as 'CCR9', which is predominantly expressed byinflammatory T cells. Targeting the CCR9 chemokine receptor represents anovel approach for the treatment of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis andother inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal system. This chemokinereceptor is known to play a pivotal role in the migration of inflammatory Tcells to the digestive tract, resulting in the persistent inflammation andtissue damage underlying these diseases. CCR9 is one of four definedchemokine and chemoattractant receptor targets covered under a 2006 alliancebetween ChemoCentryx and GlaxoSmithKline's Center of Excellence for ExternalDrug Discovery (CEEDD), under which GSK has option rights to license certainproduct candidates.
About ChemoCentryx
ChemoCentryx, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusedon discovering, developing and commercializing orally-administeredtherapeutics that target the chemokine and chemoattractant systems in order totreat autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disorders and cancer. The chemokinesystem is a network of secreted chemokine molecules, or ligands, and cellsurface receptors that regulates inflammation. Based on its proprietary drugdiscovery and drug development platform, ChemoCentryx has internally generatedmultiple clinical and preclinical-stage programs, each targeting distinctchemokine and chemoattractant receptors with different small moleculecompounds. ChemoCentryx's lead compound, Traficet-EN, a specific CCR9antagonist, is currently in a Phase II/III multi-national clinical trial,called PROTECT-1, in patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease.CCX025, also a CCR9 antagonist, is in a Phase I clinical trial. Additionalclinical programs include the development of CCX140, which targets the CCR2receptor, currently in a Phase I clinical trial and intended for subsequentdevelopment to treat diseases such as vascular restenosis, Type 2 diabetesand/or multiple sclerosis; and CCX354, a CCR1 antagonist currently in a PhaseI clinical trial, being developed for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoidarthritis. ChemoCentryx is privately held. For more information, pleaserefer to http://www.chemocentryx.com.
Any statements in this press release about ChemoCentryx's expectations,beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance arenot historical facts and are forward-looking statements. These statements areoften, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as may,believe, will, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, predict, seek, potential,continue, plan, should, could and would or the negative of these terms orother comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are not guaranteesof performance. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties andassumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance orachievements to differ materially from any results, levels of activity,performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-lookingstatement. Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could causeactual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained inthe forward-looking statements include but are not limited to (i) theinitiation, timing, progress and results of ChemoCentryx's preclinical studiesand clinical trials, (ii) ChemoCentryx's ability to advance product candidatesinto clinical trials, (iii) GSK's exercise of its license options, (iv) thecommercialization of ChemoCentryx's product candidates, (v) the implementationof ChemoCentryx's business model, strategic plans for its business, productcandidates and technology, (vi) ChemoCentryx's ability to maintain andestablish collaborations or obtain additional government grant funding, (vii)ChemoCentryx's estimates of its expenses, future revenues, capitalrequirements and its needs for additional financing, (viii) the timing orlikelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, (ix) the availability ofcorporate partners, (x) the scope of protection ChemoCentryx is able toestablish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering its productcandidates and technology, (xi) the impact of competitive products andtechnological changes, (xii) the availability of capital and the cost ofcapital, (xiii) ChemoCentryx's financial performance, (xiv) developmentsrelating to ChemoCentryx's competitors and other vagaries in the biotechnologyindustry and (xv) other risks.
You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-lookingstatements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-lookingstatements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement andChemoCentryx undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press releaseto reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. This caution ismade under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private SecuritiesLitigation Reform Act of 1995.
SOURCE ChemoCentryx, Inc.
