Alkermes reveals candidates for MS, cancer and pain

18 July 2013

US drugmaker Alkermes (Nasdaq: ALKS) has unveiled three new drug candidates for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, cancer and pain. At an overview of its pipeline portfolio at its R&D day for analysts and investors this week, the company detailed:

A monomethyl fumarate (MMF) prodrug program for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The MMF prodrugs are designed to rapidly and efficiently convert to MMF in the body and to offer advantages over US biotech firm Biogen Idec’s (Nasdaq: BIIB) Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate). Alkermes expects to file an Investigational New Drug application and initiate a Phase I study in 2014.
ALKS 7106 for the treatment of pain. ALKS 7106 is a novel, small-molecule drug candidate derived from the company’s opioid modulator platform. ALKS 7106 is a potent, oral opioid analgesic designed for the treatment of pain with intrinsically low potential for abuse and overdose death, two liabilities associated with other opioid medicines. The company expects to file an IND and initiate a Phase I study in 2014.
RDB 1419, a cancer immunotherapy candidate based on interleukin-2 (IL-2) and its receptors. The company has preclinical data showing that RDB 1419, a novel biologic, preferentially expanded the number of tumor-killing cells involved in immunotherapeutic effects on cancer. Additional preclinical data demonstrated that RDB 1419 inhibited lung metastases in a model of lung cancer. The company expects to conduct IND-enabling activities for RDB 1419 in 2014.

Elliot Ehrich, chief medical officer of Alkermes, commented: “The three new drug candidates that we are unveiling today exemplify the productivity of R&D at Alkermes – which now spans small molecules and biologics – and represent significant opportunities for us to address unmet needs for patients with major, chronic diseases: multiple sclerosis, pain and cancer. Our distinctive approach is to build on a foundation of known pharmacology and clinical practice, then apply our R&D expertise and novel insights to create proprietary medicines with real value for patients and treatment systems.”

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