Vobarilizumab (ALX-0061) at the 2017 ACR Annual Meeting in San Diego

As vobarilizumab has caught my interest a while ago [1], I had already looked closer at this anti-IL6 receptor (IL-6R) nanobody® at the 2017 EULAR Annual Meeting in Madrid [2] and concluded: “The data is interesting and promising, but the big question remains: will there be a phase 3 study?”

There had been one study on vobarilizumab at the 2017 ACR Annual Meeting in San Diego, just one.

M. Rinaldi and colleagues presented [3]: “Assessment of Dose Dependent Effects of Vobarilizumab, an Anti-IL6 Receptor (IL-6R) Nanobody®, on Systemic Biomarkers in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Results of Two Phase 2b Studies”. The authors looked at the effect of vobarilizumab and tocilizumab on biomarkers like CRP, ESR, soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), matrix metalloproteinase-3, and chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13). The authors concluded: “The observed dose dependent PD [pharmacodynamics] biomarker responses and effects on cartilage degradation and joint inflammation biomarkers further support the strong potential for disease modifying activity of vobarilizumab in RA [rheumatoid arthritis].”

A bit disappointing, isn’t it? Not the results, but the slowing down of research and commitment. I’ve just looked, if there is a phase 3 study [4], but didn’t find one. Abbvie seems to kindle a fire so light, that it might be blown out soon.

Links and References:

[1] http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2016/11/the-mystery-of-vobarilizumab-alx-0061.html

[2] http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2017/06/vobarilizumab-alx-0061-at-2017-eular.html

[3] Rinaldi M, Van Bogaert T, Van Roy M, Bontinck L, Hohlbaum A, Snoeck V, Dombrecht E, Van Beneden K, Schoen P, Ulrichts H. Assessment of Dose Dependent Effects of Vobarilizumab, an Anti-IL6 Receptor (IL-6R) Nanobody®, on Systemic Biomarkers in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Results of Two Phase 2b Studies [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 10). http://acrabstracts.org/abstract/assessment-of-dose-dependent-effects-of-vobarilizumab-an-anti-il6-receptor-il-6r-nanobody-on-systemic-biomarkers-in-patients-with-moderate-to-severe-rheumatoid-arthritis-ra-results-of-two/ .Accessed January 13, 2018.

[4] https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=ALX-0061&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=&Search=Search

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