Nuformix has completed pilot pre-clinical studies that further validate the potential for its NXP002 programme in successfully and safely treating fibrosis.
It has been working in parallel with the University of Newcastle and Fibrofind and their proprietary fibrosis research models.
Nuformix says the studies have focussed on the potential for NXP002 to stop progression in established lung and liver fibrosis. The results demonstrate that NXP002 strongly inhibits fibrosis in functional human tissue via a dual-action, which significantly addresses both the inflammation and fibrosis components responsible for fibrotic disease progression, the company has said.
Furthermore, following success in these innovative pilot studies Nuformix has started additional studies to further support progress to use in patients, which will run in parallel to Nuformix’s human pharmacokinetic studies for NXP002.
Dr Dan Gooding, CEO, Nuformix plc, said that raditional pre-clinical fibrosis models offer limited utility as they don’t recreate the disease in a genetically or physiologically relevant way, meaning success doesn’t always translate into patients. He said that the studies, on the other hand, put the Nuformix NXP002 programme as close to patient as possible. “The results show a profound effect in inhibiting established fibrotic disease, importantly at exposure levels that we know are well-tolerated in patients and levels which the team are confident can consistently be delivered using Nuformix proprietary drug forms,” he said.
Gooding expressed taking great confidence from the pilot data, particularly in lung fibrosis, pointing out the ability to study living human disease tissue. “Our data demonstrates NXP002 is superior to recently approved treatments, whilst also providing the additional benefit of vastly increased tolerability in long-term use, which is not currently possible,” he said.
Gooding concluded: “These results give us great confidence in what will happen when NXP002 reaches patients and robustly support entry to patient proof-of-concept studies immediately after completion of our pharmacokinetic studies.”