MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 24, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChemoCentryx, Inc. (Nasdaq:CCXI) announced today that preclinical data for CCX140, a novel, orally administered inhibitor of the chemokine receptor known as CCR2, will be presented at The American Society of Nephrology's (ASN) Kidney Week 2012, to be held in San Diego, California, October 30 – November 4. A poster entitled, "The CCR2 Chemokine Receptor Antagonist CCX140 Improves Renal Function in Diabetic Mice Expressing Human CCR2," is scheduled for presentation on Saturday, November 3, 2012, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT. The poster will highlight preclinical findings demonstrating robust and rapid improvements of albuminuria and hyperglycemia following administration of CCX140.
"Our presence at ASN underscores the continuing progress of our promising wholly owned programs targeting CCR2 for human kidney diseases," stated Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx. "We are on track to achieve significant milestones next year, including the release of Phase II clinical data for CCX140 in patients with diabetic nephropathy. In addition to CCX140, another CCR2 drug candidate, CCX872, is also expected to enter Phase I by the end of this year, further bolstering our franchise in renal disease. We believe that CCR2 inhibitors hold great potential for treating kidney disease, an area in which patients are desperately in need of new treatment options."
CCX140, the Company's lead independent CCR2 inhibitor, has successfully completed a Phase II clinical trial in type 2 diabetics as a gateway study to the two ongoing Phase II studies in diabetic nephropathy. Data from the ongoing studies are anticipated in 2013.
About ChemoCentryx
ChemoCentryx, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing orally-administered therapeutics that target the chemokine and chemoattractant systems in order to treat autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disorders and cancer. The chemokine system is a biological network that regulates inflammation via a collection of secreted chemokine molecules, or ligands, and their specific cell surface receptors. Based on its proprietary drug discovery and drug development platform, ChemoCentryx has generated multiple clinical and preclinical-stage programs, each targeting distinct chemokine and chemoattractant receptors with different small molecule compounds. The Company's most advanced drug candidate, vercirnon (also known as Traficet-EN, CCX282 or GSK1605786), a specific CCR9 inhibitor, completed a multi-national clinical trial, called PROTECT-1, in patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease, where it demonstrated the ability to induce a clinical response and to maintain clinical remission, and is now in Phase III clinical development. The Company's lead independent drug candidate, CCX140, a CCR2 inhibitor, has been shown to be safe and well tolerated while demonstrating clinical activity on glycemic indices in a Phase II clinical trial in type 2 diabetics, and is now in Phase II clinical development for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Other clinical programs include CCX354 (also known as GSK2941266), a CCR1 inhibitor which successfully completed a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and CCX168, a C5aR inhibitor in Phase II clinical development for the treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. ChemoCentryx also has several programs in advanced preclinical development.
Forward-Looking Statements
ChemoCentryx cautions you that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "could," "will," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "predict," "seek," "contemplate," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the Company's current beliefs and expectations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by ChemoCentryx that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this release due to the risk and uncertainties inherent in the ChemoCentryx business and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and ChemoCentryx undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Further information regarding these and other risks is included under the heading "Risk Factors" in ChemoCentryx's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including ChemoCentryx's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-month period ended June 30, 2012, which are available from the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) and on ChemoCentryx's website (www.ChemoCentryx.com) under the heading "Investors." All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
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