AB Science SA, a France-based pharmaceutical company, announced that conceptual reporting results from its Phase 2B/3 AB07002 study in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (nSPMS) has been nominated for a platform presentation during the eighth meeting of Joint Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) and European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), conducted on September 11-13, 2020. Due to the present COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held virtually.

The Neurology Professor at Lille University in France, Patrick Vermersch is the coordinating researcher of study AB07002 and will present important information from the positive Phase 2B/3 study which will be a segment of the Free Communications oral presentation sitting.

The Joint ACTRIMS- ECTRIMS Meeting is the world’s biggest international conference dedicated to clinical basic research in multiple sclerosis.

Vermersch called these results important as it is the first time that a drug aiming innate immune cells like microglia and mast cells, opposite to the usual strategy directing adaptative immune cells, like T-cells and B-cells, has proved a helpful impact on the course of PPMS and nSPMS multiple sclerosis. Certainly, selection for a platform presentation at this significant meeting is a clear sign of the level of interest being generated by this state-of-the-art approach and masitinib’s potential influence on treating progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.

Phase 2B/3 study AB07002 estimated oral masitinib in PPMS and nSPMS multiple sclerosis. Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) are the two main types of multiple sclerosis (MS). While noteworthy progress has been made in the relapsing form of MS, with 17 approved medicines, there is still a very high unmet medical requirement for treating patients with PPMS and nSPMS with no approved medications for nSPMS and only one for PPMS.

Relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis are mostly driven by peripheral, adaptive immunity. Most medicines registered in RRMS target B cells or T cells but failed in progressive forms of MS or had unsatisfying results. nSPMS and PPMS are predominantly driven by other mechanisms, particularly the innate immune system.

Source: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/09/07/2089391/0/en/AB-Science-to-present-results-from-its-Phase-2B-3-AB07002-study-in-progressive-forms-of-multiple-sclerosis-at-MSVirtual2020-8th-Joint-ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS-Meeting.html