CBP-1011. InKine Pharmaceutical Co.

CBP-1011 (medroxyprogesterone acetate) is an immunosuppressant corticosteroid under development by InKine Pharmaceuticals (formerly CorBec Pharmaceuticals) for the potential treatment of a number of inflammatory conditions. Phase III trials are underway in the US for the treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura [234943]. By December 2000, it had completed phase II trials for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) [393219]. In March 2001, the FDA designated CBP-1011 an Orphan Drug for the treatment of thrombocytopenic pupura [400935]. In June 2000, InKine reported that a US patent (subsequently identified as US-06068983, entitled 'Methods of stimulating phagocytosis' and assigned to University of Pennsylvania) had been issued to Alan D Schreiber MD, Chairman of InKine's Scientific Advisory Board. The patent describes methods of increasing Fc receptors on white blood cells or macrophages, as well as inducing Fc receptors in cells that do not normally possess them, such as lung and liver cells [370990]. In April 2001, the University of Pennsylvania (inventor again Alan D Schreiber) claimed the use of medroxyprogesterone acetate for treating IBD, CD, UC, food allergies, hemorrhoids and psoriasis in WO-00122959, entitled 'Method of treating inflammatory conditions with progesterone or progesterone analogs'.