Autoimmune disease

Patient sample and mouse studies suggest inhibiting EZH2 could help treat scleroderma. In fibroblasts from patients with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma, levels of EZH2 mRNA were higher than in fibroblasts from healthy volunteers. In a mouse model of bleomycin-induced scleroderma, a tool compound EZH2 inhibitor decreased dermal thickness, skin levels of hydroxyproline and other markers of disease compared with vehicle. Next steps could include testing EZH2 inhibitors in other mouse models of scleroderma.

Epizyme Inc. has the EZH2 inhibitor tazemetostat in Phase II testing for lymphomas and solid tumors...