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Vermeire S, Solitano V, Peyrin-Biroulet L, Tilg H, Danese S, Ehrlich H, Scherrer D, Gineste P, d'Agay L, Sands BE. Obefazimod: A First-in-class Drug for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis. J Crohns Colitis 2023; 17:1689-1697. [PMID: 37129565 DOI: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Biologic agents and oral small molecules are the mainstays of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] management. However, an unmet clinical need remains for additional agents with novel mechanism of action which are effective, safe, and disease-modifying; this is due to the substantial proportion of patients who do not respond, lose response, or develop intolerance to currently marketed products. microRNAs [miRNAs] that play a role in the modulation of signal transduction pathways implicated in the development of IBD hold the potential to be used as therapeutic targets. Recently, a novel first-in-class compound, obefazimod, originally conceived as a human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection drug, has shown great promise in phase II induction trials for ulcerative colitis [UC] patients. Findings from the maintenance phases of trials showed that long-term obefazimod treatment provides continued improvement in clinical symptoms of disease, with a substantial proportion of patients in clinical remission, and an overall good safety profile. With a novel mechanism of action, obefazimod is an orally available small molecule with anti-inflammatory properties through the specific and selective upregulation of miR-124 expression. The aim of this paper is to critically review the available evidence related to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and to discuss the potential clinical implications of this first-in-class oral small molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Vermeire
- KU Leuven, Department of Chronic Diseases & Metabolism, Translational Research in Gastrointestinal disorders [TARGID] - IBD Unit, Leuven, Belgium; University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Virginia Solitano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet
- University of Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Department of Gastroenterology, Nancy, France; University of Lorraine, Inserm, NGERE, Nancy, France
| | - Herbert Tilg
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Silvio Danese
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | | | | | - Paul Gineste
- Clinical Operations Department, Abivax, Paris, France
| | | | - Bruce E Sands
- Dr. Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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