Staff in clinical research jobs at Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals have reported positive new trial data on their developmental drug sarilumab.
Data from the phase IIb clinical study Mobility showed that the drug was able to deliver significant benefits against the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when administered in tandem with methotrexate.
Results from this trial have proven sufficiently satisfactory for the partners to begin planning a phase III study of the drug in this indication, with possible dosing quantities now under discussion.
Dr George Yancopoulos, chief scientific officer of Regeneron, said: "The Mobility results provide evidence that IL-6R blockade with sarilumab represents a promising new anti-inflammatory investigational therapy for reducing RA disease symptoms."
A separate study also evaluated sarilumab as an ankylosing spondylitis therapy, but the drug did not demonstrate meaningful benefits in this application.
Last month, the two companies reported positive data on Zaltrap, a drug they are developing collaboratively as a metastatic colorectal cancer treatment.