Immuron recruiting patients for ASH trial

Immuron (ASX:IMC) has commenced recruitment for a phase II trial of IMM-124E in alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and arranged to license the treatment candidate in alcohol-induced liver toxicity.

The company has enrolled the first three of a planned 66 patients for a US National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored trial in ASH.

The NIH has selected IMM-124E as one of three candidates for its ASH trials. ASH, which is a syndrome of progressive inflammatory liver injury associated with heavy drinking, has a poor prognosis and no currently approved drugs to treat it.

IMM-124E is designed to treat fatty liver associated with ASH and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). It is produced using bovine colostrum powder harvested from dairy cows immunised with an Immuron vaccine.

Immuron is separately selecting patients for a NASH trial, and plans to commence recruitment shortly.

Immuron meanwhile revealed it has signed a deal with Immune Biologics covering the licensing of IMM-124E for the treatment of short-term alcohol-induced liver toxicity.

As part of the agreement, Immune Biologics will conduct clinical trials testing the efficacy of IMM-124E in the condition. If the trials prove successful, Immuron will grant Immune Biologics a worldwide licence covering IMM-124E to treat alcohol-induced liver toxicity.

“Immuron’s clinical focus with IMM-124E is the development of prescription products for chronic liver diseases such as NASH and ASH,” CEO Amos Meltzer commented.

“The opportunity to license out the use of IMM-124E for a new indication, with the prospect of early revenues, is another illumination of the versatility of Immuron’s platform technology.”

Immuron (ASX:IMC) shares were trading 2.63% lower at $0.185 as of around 1 pm on Monday.

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