The autoimmune and inflammatory diseases include rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and nephrotic syndrome. SynAct Pharma is developing its lead asset, resomelagon, in clinical phase 2 trials in these diseases.
The list of diseases in this category is long and vast opportunities exist for improving the treatment. Our approach to new medicines that favor resolution of inflammation provides an alternative to current, often immunosuppressive, treatments or an opportunity in diseases, where no treatment exists.
Resomelagon and other small molecules promote resolution of inflammation via the melanocortin system, as do our portfolio of peptide analogues of the endogenous peptides, the so-called melanocortin stimulating hormones.
Challenges with Current Treatments
- No curative treatments available
- Too many patients are not treated fast enough, due to too long time to diagnosis and to initiation of recommended treatment.
- Up to 50% of patients fail to respond to 1st-line therapy
- Glucocorticoids are widely used to secure disease control with significant risk for chronic use – and thereby high risk for development of unwanted “steroid-hormone” side effects
- Second line treatment are expensive and even effective, often associated with development of tolerance – shift between different treatment options to continue disease control
- Current treatments options are associated with unwanted – often treatment limiting side effects – including infections due to immunosuppression.