AtheroGenics completes Phase I clinical trial for oral rheumatoid arthritis treatment

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AtheroGenics completes Phase I clinical trial for oral rheumatoid

arthritis treatment

Feb 20, 2002 (Datamonitor) - AtheroGenics has completed a Phase I

clinical trial demonstrating the safety of AGIX-4207, its lead oral

compound being developed for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of

rheumatoid arthritis.

The results from this trial demonstrated that AGIX-4207 is well

tolerated over the single and multiple dose ranges studied. Adverse

events were generally mild and not considered clinically significant.

AtheroGenics plans to initiate a Phase II efficacy study in patients

with rheumatoid arthritis in the second quarter of 2002. " We are pleased

that the Phase I study in normal subjects was well executed and achieved

the objectives of defining a safe dose range to evaluate in our Phase II

program, " said Dr M Medford, AtheroGenics' president and CEO, in

a statement to the press. " If our further studies prove successful over

the next few years, we may have a drug that reduces the underlying

inflammation involved in rheumatoid arthritis, rather than treating the

symptoms, " continued Dr Medford. ©