Imperial Innovations shares up on portfolio company progress

Imperial Innovations Group updated the market on Thursday, noting that its portfolio company TopiVert Pharma has announced that the first patients have been dosed in its Phase IIa proof-of-concept study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a rectal formulation of TOP1288 in symptomatic ulcerative colitis patients with moderate to severe disease activity.

The AIM-traded firm said TOP1288, a potent inhibitor of key kinases involved in inflammation, is being developed by TopiVert as a topical therapy for the form of inflammatory bowel disease which affects the colon.

On 17 March, TopiVert reported the successful completion of a Phase I study in healthy volunteers.

The clinical data supported the concept that TOP1288 has the potential to produce sustained pharmacological effects in mucosal tissues after local administration, but without the undesirable side effects often seen in UC patients treated with systemically available therapies.

Imperial explained that the new Phase II study will evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of TOP1288 administered once daily for four weeks in symptomatic UC patients with moderate to severe disease activity.

The study will recruit up to 60 patients at sites across eight European countries and is anticipated to report in the second half of 2017.

TopiVert will also commence a follow-on Phase I study with the oral formulation of TOP1288 in early 2017, with that study also expected to report in the second half of 2017.

“We are delighted by the progress that TopiVert is making, both in its ulcerative colitis trials, but also with its second programme, TOP1630, in dry eye disease, for which a first-in-human proof-of-concept study is planned for early 2017,” said Imperial director of healthcare ventures Maina Bhaman.

At 1111 BST, shares in Imperial Innovations were up 3% at 435.93p.