Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition causing joint swelling and pain which may also affect other areas, including the skin, eyes, brain, and cardiovascular system. In the US in 2014, approximately 1.3 million adults suffered from RA (Hunter et al., 2017) and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the autoimmune disease affects globally up to 18 million people. RA affects 1 in 28 women and 1 in 59 men during their lifetime (Crowson et al., 2012).
There is no cure for RA; current treatments seek to manage RA with biologic and non-biologic immunosuppressants, corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). While useful, drug resistance occurs in up to 50% of patients and systemic adverse reactions are frequent, including rash, hair loss, altered liver function, low blood cell counts, nausea, increased infections and neuropathy. New biologics targeting JAK/interleukins have been issued black box warnings by the FDA. The global antirheumatics market is expected to grow from $57.9 billion in 2019 to $62.9 billion in 2027 (Allied Market Research).
AM-411 is an intravenously administered nanoparticle based on the OligoPhore™ platform targeting p65, one of the components of NF-kB and a key checkpoint in RA inflammation. AM-411 has been designed to reduce local inflammation without affecting the NF-κB pathway outside the inflamed tissue and is less likely to generate resistance because it reduces synthesis of p65 rather than blocking the protein. An IND filing is planned for 2026.
