Immunic Inc (NASDAQ:IMUX) Chief Medical Officer Dr Andreas Muehler discusses the complexities of multiple sclerosis (MS) during an interview with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to mark MS Awareness Month, highlighting the disease's impact, development, and the unmet medical needs of patients.
MS, a lifelong autoimmune disease more prevalent in women than men, begins typically in early adulthood. It manifests in various forms, starting with relapsing-remitting MS, characterized by relapses and MRI lesions, affecting 80-85% of patients.
Another form, primary progressive MS, occurs in 10-15% of patients, starting with a progressive phase without typical relapses. As the disease advances, Muehler explained that it transitions into secondary progressive MS, marked by a decrease in relapses but an increase in disability, which is a significant concern for patients. Despite the availability of treatments focusing on inflammation, there remains a significant gap in addressing the disability progression, a key area of concern for patients.
Muehler introduced Immunic Inc's approach to tackling MS through their drug, vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838), which possesses dual mechanisms: anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective. The neuroprotective aspect, in particular, is believed to address the critical unmet need of slowing disability progression by protecting neurons. This differentiation, especially in progressive MS where current therapies fall short, positions vidofludimus calcium as a promising candidate in the MS treatment landscape.
Clinical trials for vidofludimus calcium are underway, with a notable Phase 2 study, CALLIPER, fully enrolled and expected to read out in April 2025. Additionally, Phase 3 studies in relapsing MS are actively recruiting, with outcomes anticipated in 2026. These developments are keenly awaited by the medical community and potential partners, given the drug's potential to significantly impact MS treatment, particularly for forms of the disease currently lacking effective therapies.
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