In preclinical studies, mice with a spontaneous autoimmune disease similar to human systematic lupus erythematosus, were treated for six months with a therapeutic inhibitor that blocks the inflammatory complement cascade at C5. The Company's proprietary C5 complement inhibitor treatment resulted in a significant amelioration of the course of disease characterized by a delay in the onset of both clinical and histologic evidence of renal disease. The study also showed a dramatic prolongation of survival, from less than 5% in control animals to greater than 80% in animals treated with the C5 inhibitor. Alexion's C5 Inhibitors are specific and potent recombinant drugs designed to intervene in the complement cascade. The Company believes that these proprietary C5 Inhibitors intervene at an optimal point which generally preserves the normal disease-preventing functions of complement proteins while generally inhibiting the disease-causing actions.
"We believe this study provides compelling new evidence that therapeutic blockade of the complement cascade at C5 prevents the formation of the key mediators of inflammation and tissue destruction," said Louis Matis, M.D. vice president of research-immunology at Alexion. "We are encouraged by the results obtained in the lupus prone mice, particularly the sustained efficacy achieved for more than six months without any evidence of side effects."
Systematic lupus erythematosus is an often devastating autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting multiple organs including the kidneys, joints, skin, central nervous system, blood vessels and hematologic tissues. Lupus currently affects an estimated 1,400,000 people in the United States. A majority of these patients also suffer from serious renal disease which develops in the course of the disease.
"Our research continues to demonstrate that the Company's therapeutic C5 complement inhibitors may be applicable to a wide spectrum of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases," said Dr. Leonard Bell, M.D. president and chief executive officer of Alexion. "These preclinical results provide a firm basis for Alexion's ongoing clinical development of our long acting humanized recombinant monoclonal antibody 5G1.1, a C5 Inhibitor under development for the treatment of lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases."
In July 1996, Alexion announced that it had received notice of allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a U.S. patent, "Inhibition of Complement Mediated Inflammatory Response," relating to the composition and use of its anti-C5 monoclonal antibodies. Alexion's lead C5 inhibitor, 5G1.1-SC, is currently in Phase I trials for the prevention of inflammation during cardiopulmonary bypass.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was founded in 1992 and is engaged in the development of selective immunotherapeutic drugs that generally are designed to inhibit the disease-causing segments of the immune system while preserving the disease-preventing aspects of the immune system. The Company is developing three technology platforms: C5 Complement Inhibitors and Apogen T-Cell Therapeutics which together target severe cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders; and xenografts for organ transplants.
This news release contains forward-looking statements. The actual results could vary from those expected due to a variety of risks set forth from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its reports on Form 1OQ and its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-00202). The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any of these forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
SOURCE Alexion Pharmaceuticals
CO: Alexion Pharmaceuticals
ST: Connecticut