Reata stopping bardoxolone trial

Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Irving, Texas) is terminating the Phase III BEACON trial in Type II diabetics with chronic kidney disease (CKD) after seeing "excess serious adverse events and mortality" in patients receiving bardoxolone methyl. Reata and partner Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) said they would examine the BEACON data to determine if there is a path forward for bardoxolone, which is a small molecule activator of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 ( NFE2L2; NRF2). Reata declined to provide additional details, while Abbott could not be reached for comment.

Abbott has rights to the product outside the U.S. and certain Asian markets under a 2010 deal in which Reata received $450 million comprising an upfront payment, near-term milestones and an undisclosed equity investment from Abbott. In 2011, Abbott paid an additional $400 million for Reata's remaining antioxidant inflammation modulators (AIMs), which activate NRF2 to trigger antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in diseased tissue. The compounds are in preclinical development (see BioCentury, Dec. 19, 2011). ...