INOTEK LAUNCHES ENROLLMENT IN IMS STUDY

Inotek Pharmaceuticals has begun enrollment in a Phase I clinical trial for IMS, a novel therapeutic that interrupts signal transduction for inflammation. The study will evaluate the tolerability, safety, and pharmacokinetics of IMS in normal human volunteers. IMS is in development as an oral compound for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with initial efficacy trials planned for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

IMS is a novel analogue of inosine, an endogenous purine and a natural by-product of adenosine metabolism. Inotek discovered the unique, anti-inflammatory properties of inosine although inosine, itself, is not a candidate for drug development due to its rapid metabolism. IMS was specifically developed to both take advantage of the anti-inflammatory properties of inosine and to avoid its metabolic pathway.