Date: 2016-07-11
Type of information: Publication of results in a medical journal
phase: preclinical
Announcement: publication of results in The Journal of Neuroinflammation
Company: AB Science (France)
Product: masitinib
Action
mechanism: kinase inhibitor/tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Masitinib is a new orally administered tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets mast cells and macrophages. Through its activity on mast cells and consequently the inhibition of the activation of the inflammatory process, masitinib can have an effect on the symptoms associated with somei nflammatory and central nervous system diseases and the degeneration of these diseases.
Disease: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Therapeutic area: Rare diseases - Neurodegenerative diseases
Country:
Trial details:
Latest
news: * On July 11, 2016, AB Science announced the publication of preclinical study results with masitinib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Findings presented in this article entitled, ‘Post-paralysis tyrosine kinase inhibition with masitinib abrogates neuroinflammation and slows disease progression in inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis’ demonstrate a protective effect for masitinib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis rat models. Proliferation and accumulation of microglial cells, in particular the emergence of aberrant glial cells, is a major neuropathological feature for ALS animal models. This disease mechanism is regulated by the CSF1/CSF1R signaling pathway. Masitinib is a potent inhibitor of CSF1R-dependent cell proliferation (IC50 90 nM). Through targeting the CSF1/CSF1R signaling pathway, masitinib is able to inhibit glial cell proliferation, including aberrant microglial cells that are strongly associated with motor neuron degeneration, and also retard microglia cell migration. Notably, masitinib treatment initiated 7 days after paralysis onset prolonged post-paralysis survival by 40%, with respect to the control group. This publication follows the interim analysis of a phase 2/3 study comparing the efficacy and safety of masitinib in combination with riluzole versus placebo in combination with riluzole in the treatment of patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. AB Science intends to file the registration dossier of masitinib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in September 2016.
