Arrowhead Research Corp (NASDAQ:ARWR), a biopharmaceutical organization researching directed RNAi therapeutics announced more clinical data about ARC-F12. The latter is an RNAi therapeutic that blocks the production of F12. As per the data ARC-F12 can be used to treat hereditary angioedema (HAE)as well as avert thrombosis.
Data released at the 2016 AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology) event revealed that ARC-F12 considerably decreased inflammation in a rat model of edema and prevented blood clot formation in a rat model of thrombosis. Moreover, there was no side effect of increased bleeding.
In a carrageenan triggered paw edema model in mice, giving ARC-F12 seven days before injecting carrageenan resulted in a major reduction in edema. The decrease in the inflammation in rats treated with ARC-F12 resembles that observed in rats given kallikrein targeted antibody. This bolsters arrowhead’s assertion that F-12 blocking can be a good target for the relatively rare genetic disease HAE.
In a rat model of thrombosis, a significant rise in blockage time was seen in mice treated with ARC-F12. The time to occlusion of blood flow is estimated as a clinical indicator of physiological response to F12 count down. It’s also a quantification of the blockage of thrombus formation. Additionally, in multiple models of increased bleeding risk ARC-F12 did not induce a rise in bleeding times as well as bleeding risk.
Anticoagulants are generally used to decrease thrombus formation as well as the occurrence of thromboembolism. However, the former can trigger a rise in major bleeding risk. ARC-F12 has the potential to minimize the chance of clot formation without the unwanted bleeding risk due to anticoagulants.
Studies in a wild variety of mice demonstrated that an individual 2 mg/kg dose of ARC-F12 resulted in more than 95% diminishing of F12 levels. In primate studies a 4 mg/kg dose translated to over 90% diminishment.
Even more decrease was observed after subsequent doses. The decrease was also very stable with over 80% decrease maintained in a monthly period. ARC-F12 did not have major side effects and was well tolerated. Also, there was no toxicity induced in the body by the drug.
