UTRECHT, The Netherlands & DIEPENBEEK, Belgium I February 3, 2016 I Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals BV, a Dutch biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel disease-modifying therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, announced today that following the successful completion of a Phase I study in healthy volunteers it has initiated two Phase II clinical trials in primary biliary cirrhosis and Crohn’s disease with its lead product FFP104. Fast Forward licensed FFP104 from PanGenetics BV.
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), an orphan disease, is thought to originate from an autoimmune attack on the intrahepatic bile ducts resulting in a disturbed bile acid homeostasis that may eventually lead to liver failure. The PBC Phase II study has enrolled the first patients and is conducted in the Netherlands, UK and Italy. The first results are expected in the second half of 2016. Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals is collaborating with the UK-PBC consortium, an MRC sponsored research network consisting of 150 NHS Trusts throughout the UK aimed at discovering and developing new and improved treatment modalities for PBC.
Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease of the gastrointestinal tract that may affect any part of the digestive tract. The inflammation often spreads deep into the layers of affected bowel tissue. The disease can be both painful and debilitating, and may lead to life-threatening complications. The Phase II trial in patients with moderate to severely active Crohn’s disease will be conducted in Belgium and the Netherlands, and builds on the successful results of an earlier trial conducted by PanGenetics BV in which a chimeric version of FFP104 showed promise in reducing clinical symptoms and improving histological activity scores in a dose dependent manner.
Mark de Boer, CEO of Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals, said: “We are excited to bring our lead compound forward in primary biliary cirrhosis and Crohn’s disease. We believe that with its unique mechanism of action FFP104 holds significant potential as a truly disease modifying agent in chronic inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases. PBC is a disease with precious few treatment options, and new therapeutic modalities are desperately needed. And although current medications can help control Crohn’s disease, no cure exists. FFP104 is expected to interfere with the abnormal immune reaction underlying the disease, induce long-term remission, lower the risk for developing complications, and the requirement for surgery.”
About Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals
Founded in 2012, Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals BV has its headquarters in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and a subsidiary at BioVille, the life sciences incubator in Diepenbeek, Belgium, to coordinate its development activities. The financing raised to date allows Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals to continue the clinical validation of FFP104, a clinical stage humanized anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions. For more information: www.ffpharma.com.
SOURCE: Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals
Post Views: 55
UTRECHT, The Netherlands & DIEPENBEEK, Belgium I February 3, 2016 I Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals BV, a Dutch biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel disease-modifying therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, announced today that following the successful completion of a Phase I study in healthy volunteers it has initiated two Phase II clinical trials in primary biliary cirrhosis and Crohn’s disease with its lead product FFP104. Fast Forward licensed FFP104 from PanGenetics BV.
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), an orphan disease, is thought to originate from an autoimmune attack on the intrahepatic bile ducts resulting in a disturbed bile acid homeostasis that may eventually lead to liver failure. The PBC Phase II study has enrolled the first patients and is conducted in the Netherlands, UK and Italy. The first results are expected in the second half of 2016. Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals is collaborating with the UK-PBC consortium, an MRC sponsored research network consisting of 150 NHS Trusts throughout the UK aimed at discovering and developing new and improved treatment modalities for PBC.
Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease of the gastrointestinal tract that may affect any part of the digestive tract. The inflammation often spreads deep into the layers of affected bowel tissue. The disease can be both painful and debilitating, and may lead to life-threatening complications. The Phase II trial in patients with moderate to severely active Crohn’s disease will be conducted in Belgium and the Netherlands, and builds on the successful results of an earlier trial conducted by PanGenetics BV in which a chimeric version of FFP104 showed promise in reducing clinical symptoms and improving histological activity scores in a dose dependent manner.
Mark de Boer, CEO of Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals, said: “We are excited to bring our lead compound forward in primary biliary cirrhosis and Crohn’s disease. We believe that with its unique mechanism of action FFP104 holds significant potential as a truly disease modifying agent in chronic inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases. PBC is a disease with precious few treatment options, and new therapeutic modalities are desperately needed. And although current medications can help control Crohn’s disease, no cure exists. FFP104 is expected to interfere with the abnormal immune reaction underlying the disease, induce long-term remission, lower the risk for developing complications, and the requirement for surgery.”
About Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals
Founded in 2012, Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals BV has its headquarters in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and a subsidiary at BioVille, the life sciences incubator in Diepenbeek, Belgium, to coordinate its development activities. The financing raised to date allows Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals to continue the clinical validation of FFP104, a clinical stage humanized anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions. For more information: www.ffpharma.com.
SOURCE: Fast Forward Pharmaceuticals
Post Views: 55
