Amarin forced to rethink
The failure of Amarin Corp. plc's Miraxion in two Phase III trials in Huntington's disease has forced a major reshuffling of priorities. While the company says it's too early to drop Miraxion, it will accelerate work on two preclinical programs and its CNS delivery platform.
Miraxion is a semi-synthetic, highly purified derivative of the omega III fatty acid (all-cis)-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapen-taenoic acid (ethyl-EPA) that acts to inhibit phospholipase A2. The target enzyme is thought to degrade nerve cell membranes by initiating the release of free fatty acids from cell membranes, upsetting the delicate balance between fatty acids and phospholipids necessary for membrane fluidity. Increased phospholipase A2 activity also has been associated with apoptosis...