Cerimon to Study Anti-IL-2 Antibody for Treating Ulcerative Colitis

Cerimon Pharmaceuticals announced it has begun enrolling patients in a Phase IIb clinical study, ARREST UC-1, of its lead product candidate basiliximab for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will enroll a total of 135 patients and will study the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of a three-dose induction regimen of basiliximab in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis who are not responding to a standard course of oral corticosteroids.

Basiliximab is a monoclonal antibody that selectively blocks the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2). Cerimon believes that basiliximab's highly targeted inhibition of T-lymphocyte activation will result in a safe and effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease.

In February 2006, Cerimon licensed the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize basiliximab for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis, from Novartis Pharma, which markets the compound as Simulect for use in transplantation indications.