A promising bowel drug from Galapagos was canned after it terrible performance in its phase I trials.
Belgian biotech company Galapagos has hit a huge roadblock after one of its promising new bowel medications turned out discouraging results in its phase I trial. According to a report from Reuters, the drug, named GLPG1205 was deemed safe for human use, but barely performed better than a placebo during trials.
Galapagos advertised the drug as a new experimental treatment for bowel disease. The company has announced that it would stop the program for the development of the drug following the dismal trial results.
According to a company statement, more details about the failed drug will be released later on in 2016. Researchers working with Galapagos will see if GLPG1205 can be produced in alternative ways to increase its efficacy in treating Ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease.
Ulcerative colitis leads to long-lasting ulcers and sores throughout the digestive tract. It begins with mild ulcers that eventually spread throughout the large intestine and the rectum. In some cases, ulcerative colitis can cause complications that result in death. Currently, there is no standard effective treatment for the disease.
Ulcerative colitis can lead to chronic diarrhea that contains blood or pus, as well as abdominal pain and the frequent urge to empty the bowels. Advanced stages of the disease can considerably detract from a person’s quality of life. The disease is difficult to get rid of, too – even in cases where symptoms appear to subside, they can rear their heads again in a moment’s notice.
According to the British National Health Services, people experiencing symptoms of ulcerative colitis should seek medical attention immediately. Doctors will take a blood and stool sample to see if ulcerative colitis is the cause of the symptoms in an effort to determine if IBD is actually the cause.
Ulcerative colitis affects roughly 146,000 people in the United Kingdom, a rate of one in every 420 people. The disease affects the age group from 15 to 25 years old the most, but people of all ages can get it. While GLPG 1205 may not be the miracle cure Galapagos was hoping for, the company will continue to work toward a viable treatment.
A press release from Galapagos regarding the recent trials can be found here.
