Synta Pharmaceuticals initiates Phase II clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis and CVID for first oral inhibitor of IL-12 and IL-23.

(From Chemical Business NewsBase - Press Release)

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp announced that the first patients have been dosed in two separate Phase IIa clinical studies of its lead immunomodulatory compound, apilimod mesylate (STA-5326), in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Apilimod mesylate is a novel, oral, small-molecule compound that selectively inhibits the production of the IL-12 protein family, which includes the cytokines IL-12 and IL-23, important regulators of the immune response implicated in major chronic inflammatory diseases including Crohn's disease, RA, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. The Phase IIa RA trial is a …