ImmuPharma PLC (AIM:IMM) has said it is in active discussions with several global commercial partners following significant scientific breakthroughs in its flagship autoimmune programme, P140, as the drug discovery company released its full-year results.
The London-listed group said recent discoveries had confirmed that P140 operates via a unique mechanism of action, was non-immunosuppressive, and had demonstrated both efficacy and safety in preclinical studies.
These findings have enabled the company to bolster its intellectual property portfolio and make a stronger case for potential commercialisation.
Chairman and chief executive Tim McCarthy said the company’s progress paved the way for more accurate diagnostics, identification of patients likely to respond to treatment, and better monitoring of therapeutic outcomes.
He added that the board remained focused on advancing its late-stage pipeline, especially P140, which is being developed for autoimmune conditions including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).
The company redesigned its clinical strategy for P140 after reassessing its dose and trial design.
It now plans to use a dose up to 20 times higher than previously tested, following guidance meetings with the US Food and Drug Administration and further pharmacokinetic studies.
ImmuPharma said it expected the new dosage to enhance efficacy without the adverse side effects associated with current standard-of-care treatments such as steroids.
P140’s mechanism aims to restore immune system balance rather than suppress immune activity, a distinguishing feature from most current therapies.
The company believes this could eliminate the need for patients to use oral steroids, a shift that may help highlight P140’s benefits in clinical trials.
Elsewhere in the portfolio, the company continues to advance preclinical work on its anti-infective programmes, BioAMB and BioCIN, which target fungal and bacterial infections, respectively.
These drug candidates are based on modified versions of well-established compounds, which ImmuPharma says may lead to safer and more convenient treatment options.
At the end of the financial year, ImmuPharma said its cash balance was £200,000 as it posted a loss of £2.5 million.
In February 2025, ImmuPharma raised £2.9 million through an equity placing and subscription agreement with Lanstead Capital.