Redx Pharma Plc (LON:REDX) has unveiled a new drug candidate, which will enter clinical trials in 2020.
RXC006 is a new breed of pill called a porcupine inhibitor and it will be used as a first-in-class treatment for a rare but life-threatening disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
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Known as IPF for short, it is a chronic lung condition with a very poor prognosis and limited medication options.
Developing a drug for a small patient group where there is no drug specifically designed to treat the ailment can often speed up the long process of gaining regulatory approval. It should be stressed, Redx hasn’t discussed this aspect in the latest update.
It did, however, say, RXC006 has performed well in pre-clinical studies. Redx said it had been “potent and highly effective at suppressing the Wnt pathway”.
The Wnt pathway essentially helps regulate gene transcription, cell shape and the amount of calcium in the cell.
Redx has shown the involvement of the Wnt pathway increases with disease severity in IPF.
It is hoped RXC006 can offer patients with a severe form of the disease a drug option where there is currently no effective therapy beyond palliative care.
“IPF is a devastating disease with little effective treatment and there is, therefore, a clear unmet need for new therapies,” said chief executive Lisa Anson.
“Redx is excited to bring its precision medicinal chemistry expertise to bear with the discovery of this novel drug candidate. We look forward to taking RXC006 into clinical development; we plan to enter first in man clinical trials during 2020, in line with our strategy."