The first pre-clinical data for Redx Pharma Plc’s (LON:REDX) RXC006 drug candidate has suggested that the compound has “great potential” as a fibrosis treatment.RXC006 is what’s known as a Porcupine inhibitor. They work by dialling down the Porcupine protein, which is the control switch for the Wnt pathway – widely believed to be heavily involved in the scarring process in the lung typical of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.This first batch of in-vivo data showed that the compound was “highly effective” in suppressing the Wnt pathway and lung fibrosis.Suppression of both liver and kidney fibrosis has also been shown in animal models.“The data suggests that RXC006 has great potential to treat fibrosis in human patients,” said chief scientific officer Richard Amer.“Redx are progressing RXC006 towards the clinic for the treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and plan to initiate first in man clinical trials during 2020.”
