ChemoCentryx Reports Favorable Phase I Results for CCX354 in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis at the Annual American College of Rheumatology Meeting (ACR)

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- ChemoCentryx, Inc., today announced that it reported positive Phase I clinical results for CCX354 at the Annual American College of Rheumatology Meeting (ACR).  CCX354 is an orally-active small molecule that targets the chemokine receptor CCR1, instrumental in the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  Data from the Phase I studies showed an excellent safety profile in healthy volunteers as well as in RA patients.  Pharmacokinetic data from the Phase I studies demonstrated that once-daily doses of CCX354 produced greater than 90% receptor coverage on blood leukocytes throughout the day.  CCX354 is currently in Phase II clinical development for the treatment of RA with data expected in 2011.  

These data were highlighted today in a poster presentation in Atlanta, Georgia entitled "CCR1 Antagonist CCX354-C in Phase 2 Clinical Development for Rheumatoid Arthritis."

"The degree of CCR1 receptor coverage produced by CCX354 is unprecedented in this class of molecules," said Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx.  "It is a well established fact that CCR1 plays a key role in the progression of RA, but the successful development of a potent, selective antagonist has eluded the industry until now.  Based on these data, especially those collected from RA patients, we are confident that CCX354 has great potential to offer those who suffer from the debilitating effects of this disease, a new and meaningful treatment option."

CCX354 Study Results and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Study results showed that CCX354 was well tolerated and displayed a linear dose-exposure profile in single-dose and multiple-dose Phase I studies in healthy volunteers and in patients with RA.  Plasma levels far exceeded those required for adequate receptor blockade and far exceeded levels reported for other CCR1 antagonists previously tested by other biopharmaceutical sponsors.  CCX354 is a highly potent and selective antagonist of CCR1, a chemokine receptor that drives the recruitment of inflammatory monocytes and macrophages into the joints of patients with RA. CCX354 is currently in a Phase II study designated CARAT-2 in patients with active RA.  By selectively blocking the CCR1 receptor, CCX354 is designed to reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the joints of RA patients and inhibiting the inflammation, swelling, pain and associated joint destruction while minimizing the potential for off-target effects, thus providing a wider therapeutic window than currently approved therapies. RA is estimated to affect more than two million people in the U.S. and is a leading cause of morbidity and work disability.  The exact cause of RA is unknown, but is believed to reflect the body's immune system attack on the synovium, the tissue that lines the joints. Under an alliance with GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) Center of Excellence for External Drug Discovery (CEED), GSK will have the option to license CCX354 at the completion of the CARAT-2 study.

About ChemoCentryx

ChemoCentryx, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing orally-administered therapeutics that target the chemokine and chemoattractant systems in order to treat autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disorders and cancer. The chemokine system is a biological network that regulates inflammation via a collection of secreted chemokine molecules, or ligands, and their specific cell surface receptors. Based on its proprietary drug discovery and drug development platform, ChemoCentryx has generated multiple clinical and preclinical-stage programs, each targeting distinct chemokine and chemoattractant receptors with different small molecule compounds. ChemoCentryx's lead compound, Traficet-EN, a specific CCR9 antagonist, completed a Phase II/III multi-national clinical trial, called PROTECT-1, in patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease, where it demonstrated the ability to induce a clinical response and to maintain clinical remission over the course of the trial. Phase III clinical trials of Traficet-EN are expected to initiate in the fourth quarter 2010. Other clinical programs include CCX140, which targets the CCR2 receptor, in Phase II clinical development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and associated complications; CCX354, a CCR1 antagonist in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis; and CCX168, a C5aR antagonist, that completed Phase I clinical development and is anticipated to enter Phase II clinical trials in 2011. ChemoCentryx also has several programs in preclinical development. ChemoCentryx is privately held. For more information, please refer to www.chemocentryx.com.

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE ChemoCentryx, Inc.