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Ann Rheum Dis 2009;68:130-135 doi:10.1136/ard.2007.085241
  • Basic and translational research

The novel small molecule drug Rabeximod is effective in reducing disease severity of mouse models of autoimmune disorders

  1. M Hultqvist1,2,3,
  2. K S Nandakumar1,2,3,
  3. U Björklund,
  4. R Holmdahl1,2,3
  1. 1
    Section for Medical Inflammation Research, I11 BMC, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
  2. 2
    Section for Medical Inflammation Research, MBB, Karoliska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
  3. 3
    OxyPharma AB, Stockholm, Sweden
  1. R Holmdahl, Medical Inflammation Research, I11 BMC, Lund University, S-221 84 Lund, Sweden; rikard.holmdahl{at}med.lu.se
  • Accepted 8 March 2008
  • Published Online First 17 March 2008

Abstract

Objectives: Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS) affect a relatively large portion of the population, leading to severe disability if left untreated. Even though pharmaceutics targeting the immune system have revolutionised the therapy of these diseases, there is still a need for novel, more effective therapeutic substances. One such substance is the new chemical entity 9-chloro-2,3 dimethyl-6-(N,N-dimthylamino-2-oxoethyl)-6H-indolo [2,3-b] quionoxaline, Rabeximod, currently being investigated for efficiency in treatment of human RA. In this study we aimed to evaluate Rabeximod as a treatment for autoimmune diseases, using animal models.

Methods: In the present investigation we have evaluated Rabeximod as a treatment for autoimmune diseases using mouse models of RA and MS, ie, collagen-induced arthritis, collagen antibody induced arthritis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Results: Rabeximod efficiently prevented arthritis and encephalomyelitis in mice. In addition, this effect correlated to the timepoint when cells migrate into the joints.

Conclusions: We conclude that Rabeximod reduces disease severity in animal models of autoimmunity and should be considered as a new therapeutic substance for MS and RA.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: UB is employed by OxyPharma AB, one of the spsonsors of this study.

  • Funding: Grants were received from OxyPharma AB, the Strategic Research Foundation and the EU projects AUTOCURE (LSHB-CT-2006-018661) and NEUROPROMISE (LSHM-CT-2005-018637).

  • Ethics approval: All experiments were approved by the local (Malmö, Lund, Sweden) ethical committee or performed following review by the Committee for Ethical Conduct in the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

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