Teva expands laquinimod program with Active Biotech

Israeli generics giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE:TEVA) and Sweden’s Active Biotech (Nasdaq OMX: ACTI) are expanding their laquinimod clinical development program with the initiation of the ARPEGGIO trial, which will evaluate the potential of laquinimod to treat primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS).

Additionally, Teva has screened the first patient in the LEGATO-HD trial, which will evaluate laquinimod in Huntington’s disease. Currently, there are no approved therapies available for the treatment of PPMS or the treatment of Huntington’s disease, beyond symptom management.

Michael Hayden, president of global R&D and chief scientific officer at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, said “Laquinimod has been shown to modulate several significant pathways common to key neurodegenerative disease. More specifically, it modulates the immune cell lineages in the periphery and in the CNS. We look forward to the results from both of these studies.”