XOMA Corporation's development partner, Servier, a privately run French research-based pharmaceutical company, has launched its own independent Proof-of-Concept (POC) clinical programme to evaluate the safety and efficacy of gevokizumab, a potent modulator of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta).

XOMA launched a similar POC clinical programme in November 2011, which included studies in three separate indications: moderate to severe inflammatory acne vulgaris, erosive inflammatory osteoarthritis of the hand, and non-anterior scleritis. Servier has selected several indications across multiple therapeutic areas.

"Servier believes gevokizumab has the potential to treat a wide range of indications beyond Behçet's uveitis, non-infectious uveitis, and cardiovascular diseases," stated John Varian, chief executive officer of XOMA. "We are impressed with the breadth and depth of Servier's development plan.  The first indication they are studying is polymyositis/dermatomyositis.  Once Servier's POC programme is fully underway, we anticipate gevokizumab will be undergoing safety and efficacy evaluations in over a dozen potential indications between Servier's and our efforts."

"This POC in polymyositis/dermatomyositis is paving the way for gevokizumab in a new area of pathologies with clear unmet medical needs.  The strong existing scientific rationale for the role of IL-1 beta modulation in this disease is making us particularly committed for moving forward this study," indicated Dr. E. Canet, president R&D of Servier.

For Dr. Jean-Philippe Seta, chief executive officer of Servier, "Our core mission is to offer patients suffering from debilitating inflammatory diseases new therapeutic solutions.  Gevokizumab has the potential to be one such solution."

Gevokizumab is a potent monoclonal antibody with unique allosteric modulating properties and the potential to treat patients with a wide variety of inflammatory and other diseases. Gevokizumab binds strongly to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and modulates the cellular signaling events that produce inflammation. IL-1 beta has been shown to be involved in diverse array of disease states, including non-infectious uveitis (including Behçet's uveitis), cardiovascular disease, and other auto-inflammatory diseases.  

Gevokizumab currently is being studied in a global phase 3 clinical programme, termed Eyeguard, which is being conducted by SERVIER and XOMA. This programme is designed to determine gevokizumab's ability to treat acute non-anterior non-infectious uveitis (NIU) in Eyeguard-A, to prevent disease flares in patients with Behçet's uveitis in Eyeguard-B, and to prevent disease flares in NIU patients who are controlled with steroids and immunosuppressants in Eyeguard-C.

XOMA has a Proof-of-Concept (POC) programme underway in which the company is exploring the efficacy and safety of gevokizumab in multiple indications. XOMA anticipates selecting its next phase 3 indication by the end of 2013. The company reported data from a successful phase 2 study in moderate to severe inflammatory acne in January 2013. XOMA anticipates results from its POC study in erosive osteoarthritis of the hand and data from the National Eye Institute's study of gevokizumab in patients with active non-infectious anterior Scleritis later this year. XOMA recently launched a pilot study in pyoderma gangrenosum, a rare skin ulceration disease. Separately, Servier initiated a phase 2 study to determine gevokizumab's ability to reduce arterial wall inflammation in patients with marked atherosclerotic plaque inflammation and who have experienced an acute coronary syndrome in the previous twelve months.

XOMA has built a portfolio of innovative therapeutic antibodies, both in late-stage clinical development and in preclinical research.