MEDIMMUNE AND MEDAREX TO TEST LUPUS DRUG IN HUMANS

MedImmune and Medarex have filed with federal regulators to begin human testing on a drug for treating lupus and potentially other autoimmune disorders. MedImmune and Medarex formed a collaboration in November 2004 to develop antibody drugs targeting interferon-alpha.

Preclinical data indicate that levels of interferon-alpha are elevated in many patients with lupus or other autoimmune disorders. The drug, called MEDI-545, binds to interferon-alpha and has been shown to neutralize its activity in preclinical studies.