Sanofi-Aventis collaboration to be trialled by Millennium

A small molecule inflammation compound developed in collaboration by Sanofi-Aventis and Millennium Pharmaceuticals will be initiated in phase II clinical trials by Millennium.

The study of MLN3897 (Sanofi-Aventis AVE9897) will test the drug for the safety and efficacy of the compound in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The drug is an orally administered small molecule designed to block chemokine receptor CCR1 that is thought to be associated with RA and other inflammatory diseases.

Nancy Simonian, senior vice president of clinical, medical and regulatory affairs at Millennium, said: “Although many patients with RA initially respond to standard disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs such as methotrexate or anti-tumour necrosis factor drugs to some degree, up to 70 per cent ultimately have an inadequate response.”

She added that the company hoped to provide a novel treatment for the treatment of RA.

MLN3897 is one of a number of small molecules that are part of the collaboration between Sanofi-Aventis and Millennium that is based on the development and commercialisation of such drugs to treat inflammatory diseases including RA and multiple sclerosis.

Sanofi-Aventis reports that its research and development team is investigating a number of innovative approaches for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, testing compounds including immunomodulators, chemical mediator receptor antagonists and cytokine inhibitors.