Akari Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AKTX) reported positive data from the first part of its Phase 1/2 study of topical nomacopan in moderate to severe atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC).
AKC is a disease that affects the cornea and surface of the eye, often causing visual impairment. There are no approved drugs for AKC, whose standard of care is immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporin.
Patients were on maximal dosage of cyclosporin for at least three months prior to the study, where they were treated with twice daily nomacopan eye drops in addition to cyclosporin.
By day 56 of the study, nomacopan demonstrated a 62% and 52% improvement in symptoms and signs, respectively.
“The rapid response and the overall reduction of 55% in the composite clinical score by day 56 despite the patients starting treatment while on long term maximal cyclosporin, is very encouraging in AKC which has no approved therapy and limited effective treatment options,” Clive Richardson, Akari’s interim CEO, said in a statement.
Akari is currently recruiting patients for the second part of the study, a double-masked placebo-controlled trial, with data expected in fourth quarter of 2019.
