A new stem cell-based treatment for Crohn’s Disease, a serious chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, has had successful results in Phase III trials, the makers of the drug announced. The drug, designated Cx601, was developed by Takeda Pharmaceutical and cell therapy company TiGenix. “A significantly greater proportion of patients in the treatment group versus the placebo group achieved combined remission at week 24,” the study concluded. Because of the serious nature of the disease and the lack of other treatment options, in 2009 Cx601 was given “orphan” designation by the European Commission, which exempts the drug from several requirements related to anti-competition regulations. The next step in the drug’s testing is another Phase III trial for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas to be carried out in the US beginning next year.

Source: Manila Times August 22, 2016 16:07 UTC