Icagen, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of drugs that can be taken orally, has announced that it will stop development of its novel, oral asthma medication senicapoc after a clinical trial failed to deliver anticipated benefits.

Senicapoc initally demonstrated promise in animal studies where it was effective in treating the late phase of asthma. Seth V. Hetherington, M.D., SVP of Clinical Development and Regulatory Affairs of Icagen discussed the results of the senicapoc clinical trials stating in a press release stating that “we completed two small, cost-effective, proof-of-concept clinical studies testing the potential of senicapoc in the treatment of asthma. While we were encouraged by the results in our first study of allergic asthma, we were disappointed by the lack of effects in this second study of exercise-induced asthma.”

An oral asthma medication in addition to currently available leukotriene modifers like Singulair, theophyillne, and oral steroids would be welcome by both patients and parents due to ease of administration compared to inhalers. What do you think?

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