In May 2006, Chelsea established a strategic partnership with Active
Biotech AB for the joint development of the I-3D portfolio of
therapeutic compounds targeting autoimmune diseases and transplant
rejection.
The I-3D portfolio, originally developed by Active Biotech, consists
of an extensive library of orally active therapeutic compounds that
have demonstrated potent inhibition of Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase
(DHODH) activity while maintaining PK and safety properties superior
to the marketed DHODH inhibitor during preclinical testing.
Inhibition of DHODH is the rate-limiting step in de novo pyrimidine
biosynthesis, which is required for the proliferation of T-cells during
clonal expansion. Potential indications for drug candidates in this
library include transplant
rejection, rheumatoid
arthritis,
psoriasis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Of the compounds
in this portfolio, more than 15 compounds have been isolated and undergone
extensive preclinical modeling.
The strategic alliance created with Active Biotech leverages the strength
of Chelsea's clinical development expertise with the impressive breadth
of intellectual property and depth of preclinical data Active Biotech
has already established around the I-3D compounds. The I-3D library
significantly broadens Chelsea's autoimmune pipeline, which also includes
its lead drug candidate, CH-1504, an orally available, metabolically inert, anti-inflammatory
and anti-tumor agent for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis,
inflammatory bowel disease and certain cancers.
