Idec not put off in RA

Idec Pharmaceuticals Corp. is pressing forward with its anti-CD4 antibody to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), seeing a market opportunity that had proven uninteresting to former partner SmithKline Beecham plc .

IDPH last week began a Phase II trial of multiple doses of its clenoliximab (IDEC-151) primatized anti-CD4 antibody in combination with methotrexate in patients with moderate to severe RA (see B11).SmithKline (LSE:SB; SBH, London, U.K.) last year suspended clinical development of clenoliximab following an analysis of Phase I/II and Phase II safety and efficacy data, and then returned all rights to the MAb in February...