ChemoCentryx, GlaxoSmithKline deal
ChemoCentryx said GlaxoSmithKline returned all rights to vercirnon. In August, the pharma suspended the Phase III program for the CC chemokine receptor 9 ( CCR9) antagonist after the product missed the primary and secondary endpoints in the Phase III SHIELD-1 trial to treat Crohn's disease (CD). ChemoCentryx said GSK subsequently terminated all trials in the program, which included the SHIELD-2, SHIELD-3 and SHIELD-4 trials. GSK said it returned rights because no efficacy was observed in SHIELD-1 and dose-dependent increases in rates of adverse events were observed (see BioCentury, Sept. 2).
ChemoCentryx said it will determine next steps for the program, including the development of vercirnon in maintenance remission in CD either alone or with a partner, after evaluating the drug's full clinical dataset. Data from the Phase II/III PROTECT-1 trial to treat CD, showed that vercirnon (formerly Traficet-EN) led to a significantly higher remission rate at week 36 of the study's maintenance period vs. placebo (47% vs. 31%, p=0.01) (see BioCentury, Dec. 21, 2009). ...