Autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type I diabetes, and Crohn’s disease, are fundamentally inflammatory diseases in which the body mistakenly mounts an immune response against its own tissues. Although the etiology of these diseases is not completely understood, they share certain common features including elevated circulating and tissue levels of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, elevated levels of molecules indicating oxidative stress, and damage to specific tissues caused by hyperactivity of immune cells such as macrophages and T cells. Failure of antioxidant systems has been implicated in the pathology of these diseases. For example, mice lacking functional Nrf2 develop a syndrome that closely resembles human lupus. Furthermore, chronic activation of NF-kB and JAK/STAT signaling is also associated with autoimmunity.
Several different AIM molecules have demonstrated substantial activity in a variety of validated preclinical models of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Reata is conducting a Phase 2 proof of concept trial with RTA 402 in rheumatoid arthritis. RTA 404, an AIM that crosses the blood-brain barrier, is in advanced preclinical development for multiple sclerosis. Reata also plans to complete preclinical development on one or more additional AIM molecules for other autoimmune indications. |
