CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 2014--
Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDRA), a clinical stage
biopharmaceutical company developing nucleic acid therapeutics for
patients with cancer and rare diseases, and The Myositis Association
(TMA), the only nonprofit organization dedicated to solely serving all
patients with inflammatory myopathies, today announced a collaboration
to advance a new potential treatment approach for polymyositis and
dermatomyositis known as Toll-like receptor (TLR) antagonism. Under the
collaboration, Idera and TMA will develop educational programs and
resources for patients and healthcare providers, including interactive
online chats, on TLR antagonism and opportunities to participate in
upcoming clinical research. Idera plans to initiate a clinical trial of
its investigational drug candidate IMO-8400, a first-in-class antagonist
of TLRs 7, 8 and 9, in polymyositis and dermatomyositis by the end of
2014.
“We are very excited and pleased to work with TMA, a leading myositis
patient advocacy association that shares our commitment to advancing new
therapies that may improve outcomes for patients living with this rare
and painful inflammatory muscle disease,” said Kate Haviland, Vice
President of Rare Diseases at Idera Pharmaceuticals. “As we prepare to
move our investigational drug candidate IMO-8400 into clinical
development for polymyositis and dermatomyositis, we believe that TMA
will be instrumental in increasing patient and physician awareness and
excitement for opportunities to participate in clinical research
involving TLR antagonism.”
“TMA is very pleased to collaborate with Idera to help advance their
novel TLR antagonist therapeutic approach in myositis,” said Bob
Goldberg, Executive Director of The Myositis Association. “We believe
that the work Idera is doing will further the myositis medical field and
our understanding of how to better treat patients suffering from this
debilitating rare disease.”
Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are devastating, rare inflammatory
myopathies that cause inflammation and progressive weakness in muscles.
Polymyositis and dermatomyositis patients can develop serious
disabilities, including loss of mobility, difficulty breathing and
swallowing, and have an increased risk of certain cancers.
Dermatomyositis is also accompanied by a purple or red skin rash. There
are an estimated 15,000 polymyositis patients and 25,000 dermatomyositis
patients in the U.S. alone. Both polymyositis and dermatomyositis have
been designated as rare diseases by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
About The Myositis Association
The Myositis Association (TMA) was founded in 1993 by Betty Curry, a
patient who identified the need for information and support for
inclusion-body myositis patients; then quickly grew to include the other
forms of myositis – dermatomyositis and polymyositis. TMA is the only
nonprofit organization dedicated to solely serving patients with the
inflammatory myopathies. Besides offering free membership to patients,
TMA publishes online and print materials for patients and physicians,
offers 45 support groups in the U.S., and conducts an Annual Patient
Conference and Myositis Symposium to connect international myositis
experts with the myositis medical and patient communities. TMA’s
research program has funded 37 grants and fellowships, totaling more
than $4.4 million, in the past 11 years.
About IMO-8400
Idera’s Toll-like receptor (TLR) antagonist drug candidates have been
created using a proprietary chemistry-based drug discovery platform.
IMO-8400 is a first-in-class synthetic oligonucleotide-based antagonist
of TLRs 7, 8, and 9. In April 2014, Idera presented preclinical data at
the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting from
preclinical studies in which IMO-8400 inhibited the survival and
proliferation of human B-cell lymphoma cells harboring the oncogenic
MYD88 L265P genetic mutation. IMO-8400 also has shown activity in
preclinical studies of autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis, lupus,
and arthritis. IMO-8400 has been well-tolerated in a Phase 1 trial in 42
healthy subjects at single and multiple escalating doses up to 0.6 mg/kg
for four weeks, and has shown inhibition of immune responses mediated by
TLRs 7, 8, and 9. In March 2014, Idera announced top-line data from an
ongoing Phase 2 trial that showed evidence of clinical activity in
patients with psoriasis who were treated with IMO-8400 at doses of up to
0.3 mg/kg/week for 12 weeks. Idera is pursuing clinical development of
IMO-8400 in genetically defined forms of B-cell lymphoma, including
Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
harboring the MYD88 L265P mutation, and in rare autoimmune diseases,
including polymyositis, dermatomyositis and graft versus host disease.
About Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Idera Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company
developing a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of genetically
defined forms of B-cell lymphoma and rare autoimmune diseases. Idera’s
proprietary technology involves creating novel nucleic acid therapeutics
designed to inhibit over-activation of Toll-like Receptors (TLRs). In
addition to its TLR programs, Idera is developing gene silencing
oligonucleotides (GSOs) that it has created using its proprietary
technology to inhibit the production of disease-associated proteins by
targeting RNA.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All
statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or
incorporated in this press release, including statements regarding the
Company’s strategy, future operations, collaborations, intellectual
property, cash resources, financial position, future revenues, projected
costs, prospects, plans, and objectives of management, are
forward-looking statements. The words “believes,” “anticipates,”
“estimates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “should,”
“potential,” “likely,” “projects,” “continue,” “will,” and “would” and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements,
although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying
words. Idera cannot guarantee that it will actually achieve the plans,
intentions or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking statements
and you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking
statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause
Idera’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated or
implied by its forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a
difference include: whether results obtained in preclinical studies and
clinical trials such as the results described in this release will be
indicative of the results that will be generated in future clinical
trials, including in clinical trials in different disease indications;
whether products based on Idera’s technology will advance into or
through the clinical trial process on a timely basis or at all and
receive approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or
equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether, if the Company’s
products receive approval, they will be successfully distributed and
marketed; whether the Company’s collaborations will be successful; and
such other important factors as are set forth under the caption “Risk
Factors” in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three
months ended March 31, 2014. Although Idera may elect to do so at some
point in the future, the Company does not assume any obligation to
update any forward-looking statements and it disclaims any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Source: Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
James Baker, 617-679-5516
jbaker@iderapharma.com