Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Alkermes moves COPD drug to Phase 2a study

By Mass High Tech staff

Alkermes Inc., a Cambridge biotech company, has begun a Phase 2a clinical study of ALKS 27, an inhaled drug, in 24 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), company officials announced.

ALKS 27 is an inhaled version of trospium, which relaxes smooth muscle tissue using the company’s AIR technology. Marked by gradual loss of lung function, COPD affects about 12 million adults, Alkermes officials reported.

The study will measure pulmonary improvements in COPD patients and the safety and efficacy of the drug combination ALKS 27 with formoterol fumarate inhalation powder. Alkermes (Nasdaq: ALKS) said it plans to offer study results in the second half of 2009.

A previous study of one-time doses of ALKS 27 showed lung function improvement in 24 hours compared to placebo.

In October, Alkermes officials told Mass High Tech that it had put together a proprietary pipeline with bold plans to put eight drugs into human trials by March 2009.

Alkermes developed ALKS 27 with Lexington-based Indevus Pharmaceuticals Inc., according to a Jan. 2007 report.