MorphoSys AG and Galapagos NV announced that the first patient with atopic dermatitis was dosed in an ongoing clinical phase 1 study with their jointly discovered and developed human monoclonal antibody MOR106 against IL-17C.

"We are delighted that MOR106 is now being investigated in patients after favorable safety results were shown in healthy volunteers. We see a high unmet medical need for novel antibody therapies in inflammatory skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis. MOR106 is designed to selectively target and inhibit IL-17C, a cytokine related to dermal inflammation", commented Dr. Arndt Schottelius, chief development officer of MorphoSys AG.

"Progression into clinical testing in patients suffering from atopic dermatitis is an important step forward in the development of this novel antibody. We are looking forward to find out how this translates into safety and pharmacokinetics in patients", says Dr. Piet Wigerinck, CSO of Galapagos.

MOR106 is the first publicly disclosed monoclonal antibody targeting IL-17C in clinical development worldwide. IL-17C has been shown to be distinct from other members of the IL-17 cytokine family and to play an important and pro-inflammatory role in certain skin disorders.

The primary objective of the ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability. As secondary endpoints, the study will assess pharmacokinetics and potential immunogenicity of MOR106.

The first part of the study is being conducted as a single center study in 56 healthy volunteers, evaluating single ascending doses (SAD) as intravenous infusion compared to placebo. To date, MOR106 has shown favorable safety and PK results administered to healthy volunteers in the ongoing study. This has triggered the start of the second part of the study investigating multiple ascending doses (MAD) compared to placebo in approximately 24 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in several European study centers. As previously reported, topline results of the complete study, including the MAD part in patients and further results from the SAD part in healthy volunteers, are expected for the second half of 2017.

IL-17C has been shown to be distinct from other members of the IL-17 cytokine family. In inflammatory skin disorders, IL-17C has been identified as an important pro-inflammatory mediator.

MOR106 is the first publicly disclosed human monoclonal antibody designed to selectively target IL-17C in clinical development worldwide. It has been shown to potently inhibit the binding of IL-17C to its receptor and thus to inhibit its biological activity. Results in rodent inflammatory skin models of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis supports clinical development of MOR106.

MOR106 arises from a strategic discovery and co-development alliance between Galapagos and MorphoSys, in which both companies contribute their core technologies and expertise. Galapagos provides the disease-related biology including cellular assays and targets discovered using its target discovery platform. MorphoSys contributes its Ylanthia antibody technology to generate fully human antibodies directed against the target and contributes full CMC development of this compound. Galapagos and MorphoSys will continue to co-develop MOR106 further in the clinic.

Atopic dermatitis, also known as atopic eczema, is a chronic pruritic (itching) inflammatory skin disease that most frequently starts in early childhood, often persists into adulthood, but may also have an adult onset. According to GlobalData (2015), there were 29.1 million moderate-affected and 16.4 million severe-affected patients out of total 66.3 million atopic dermatitis patients in the 9 major markets (US, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, China, India) in 2014. The main features of atopic dermatitis are the impairment of the skin barrier and dysfunction of the immune system accompanied with dry skin and severe pruritus that is associated with cutaneous hyperactivity to various environmental stimuli. The pruritus (itching) may lead to sleep loss, anxiety, depression and impaired social life and is therefore considered as highest therapeutic need in atopic dermatitis.