AGI-022

AGI is developing AGI-022, a new once-daily oral form of aminosalicylic acid (ASA), the primary anti-inflammatory drug class used as first-line therapy for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC).

UC is a chronic, recurrent, relapsing and remitting inflammatory disease of the colon and/or rectum that is estimated to affect more than 2 million people worldwide. A variety of oral forms and formulations of the drug 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) represent the most widely used first-line therapy to treat UC. ASA therapy is required to be delivered to the colon to achieve a localized therapeutic effect, and systemic uptake of drug is undesirable and is associated with increased side effects.

AGI-022 is a new and improved once-daily form of ASA formulated in a colon-targeted delayed release/controlled release delivery system. AGI has completed an initial clinical proof-of-concept study of AGI-022 demonstrated optimal delivery and availability of therapeutic amounts of active drug in the colon. We believe that AGI-022 may offer certain advantages in treating UC compared with current 5-ASA therapies, such as faster onset of remission, enhanced rates of remission, a reduction in relapse rates, lower variability in response, superior tolerability, and reduced dosage and dosage frequency.

AGI is seeking to partner AGI-022 for further development and commercialisation.