G.P.102 : Utrophin modulators to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD): Results from the Phase 1b safety and PK study in DMD boys dosed with SMT C1100

Abstract

The continual expression of utrophin protein by pharmacological maintenance of utrophin transcription in dystrophin deficient muscle fibres is a potential disease modifying treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). SMT C1100 is a small molecule utrophin modulator demonstrating significant benefit on the muscular dystrophy in the dystrophin deficient mdx mouse. Assessment of the in vitro and in vivo pharmacology plus the clean toxicology and safety data from the pre-clinical work led to the nomination of SMT C1100 as the first candidate for evaluation in DMD clinical trials. We previously reported that SMT C1100 successfully completed a Phase 1 healthy volunteer trial in which an oral paediatric formulation was deemed safe and well tolerated with plasma levels above those determined to be effective to modulate utrophin levels ex-vivo in DMD myoblasts and dystrophin deficient mdx mice. The first DMD paediatric patient trials of SMT C1100 started with an open-label, single and multiple oral dose finding Phase 1b study in DMD boys earlier this year. The purpose of the study was to determine whether increasing doses of SMT C1100 were safe, well tolerated and to understand the pharmacokinetic properties in patients with DMD. The boys were studied in 3 groups (Groups A to C), with each group consisting of 4 patients aged between 5 to 11 years. The doses for Groups A to C were administered in an escalating manner after safety review for each dose group. We will present the summary data from this trial.