A clinical trial with 149 patients suffering from the very disabling autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus, has shown the effectiveness of a synthetic peptide developed by a team of researchers led by CNRS biologist Slyviane Muller at the Institut de Biologie Moleculaire (IBMC) in Strasbourg, France.
The peptide, known as P140/LupuzorTM, is well tolerated by patients and leads to regression of the disease.
Under the CNRS patent, ImmuPharma-France, which funded the trial, has an exclusive license to use the peptide.
Now the final phase of clinical tests should soon confirm these results and contribute to the development of a drug without the side effects of existing treatments, which use cortico-steroids and immunosuppressants.
These results are published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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More information: Zimmer R., Scherbarth H.R., Rillo O.L., Gomez-Reino J. and Muller S. Annals of Rheumatic Diseases (doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202460)
Jan 09, 2013
