Corbus Pharmaceuticals to commence phase III study of lenabasum for the treatment of rare autoimmune disease dermatomyositis.

Corbus Pharma announced that they will proceed with a Phase III trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of lenabasum for the treatment of dermatomyositis (“DM”)

Dermatomyositis is a rare and serious multisystem inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting muscle and skin. The FDA provided guidance on the overall study design of the trial at a recent end-of-Phase II meeting. The Phase III study is planned to begin at the end of 2018.

The international Phase III trial will be a 1-year, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study testing efficacy and safety of lenabasum in approximately 150 adults with DM. Subjects will be randomized to receive lenabasum 20 mg twice per day, lenabasum 5 mg twice per day, or placebo twice per day in a 2:1:2 ratio. The primary efficacy outcome will be American College of Rheumatology (“ACR”)/ European League Against Rheumatism 2016 Total Improvement Score (“TIS”) in myositis, a composite measure of improvement from baseline in 6 endpoints: Physician Global Activity, Patient Global Activity, Health Assessment Questionnaire, Manual Muscle Testing and measurement of muscle enzymes and extra muscular activity. Change in the Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Activity and Severity index (“CDASI”) activity score will be a secondary efficacy outcome.

Comment: Lenabasum was formerly known as anabasum.