Immupharma pleased with Lupuzor trial progress

Specialist drug discovery and development company ImmuPharma updated the market on Friday on its “pivotal” 52-week randomised, double-blinded Phase III clinical trial of Lupuzor - its lead programme for the potential “breakthrough compound” for the life threatening autoimmune disease lupus.

The AIM-traded firm was also holding its annual general meeting later in the day.

It said 200 patients had been successfully recruited and randomised (dosed), with all 200 patients passing the three month stage, and over 90% of patients - 184 - passing six months.

A total of 81 patients, or 40%, passed the nine month stage, and 46 patients, or 23%, passed the full 12 months of the study.

The board pointed to the trial’s continued “robust” safety record which remained consistent with Lupuzor's product profile, as shown in its previous Phase IIb study

Top line results remained on track to be reported in the first quarter of 2018.

“We are pleased to provide a further update of our pivotal Phase III study of Lupuzor in lupus showing that approximately a quarter of the patients have now completed the full 12 months of the trial and almost all the patients have completed six months,” said Immupharma chairman Tim McCarthy.

“As the trial continues to progress, we are delighted to observe the continuation of our robust safety record, as Lupuzor is being administered to greater numbers of patients over a longer period of time.

“With the study on track to report top line results in Q1 2018, we look forward to providing shareholders with further updates on this pivotal Phase III study as it progresses through the second half of 2017.”