Centrexion presents clinical data at AAPM

BOSTON, Mass.—Centrexion Therapeutics Corporation, a company focused on developing an exclusively pain-focused pipeline of non-opioid and non-steroidal therapeutics for the treatment of chronic pain, has announced that it will present Phase 1 safety and tolerability data of single ascending doses of CNTX-6970 in healthy volunteers at the 34^th Annual American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) meeting. Centrexion will also present Phase 2b efficacy and safety data of CNTX-4975 for the treatment of moderate to severe osteoarthritis knee pain. The AAPM meeting will take place April 25 - 29, at the Vancouver Convention Center in Vancouver, Canada.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting approximately 14 million people in the United States. OA occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of the bones wears down over time, and the bone around the joints harden and form edges. Although OA can damage the majority of joints in the body, it most commonly affects joints in the knees, hips, hands and spine. OA can cause pain severe enough that patients experience difficulty walking, climbing stairs or rising from a chair.

Centrexion’s first abstract, “Phase 1 Study of the Safety and Tolerability of Single Ascending Doses of the Novel Oral CCR2 Antagonist CNTX-6970 in Healthy Volunteers,” is Poster 111 in the Basic Science session, and will be presented on Thursday, April 26, 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the AAPM Resource Center in the Vancouver Convention Center.

CNTX-6970 is a novel, potent and selective C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) antagonist with a unique analgesic profile. Recent studies have shown a close link between chronic pain and the immune system. The compound has a dual effect: stopping immune cells from releasing the potent cytokine monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and stopping MCP-1 from stimulating pain fibers to send pain signals. CNTX-6970 is predicted to be well suited to treat chronic painful inflammatory conditions, and the Phase 1 study showed the treatment was well tolerated with demonstrated pharmacologic and pharmacodynamic activity.

The second abstract, “Efficacy and Safety of Intra-Articular CNTX-4975 (Highly Purified, Synthetic Trans-Capsaicin) in Subjects with Moderate to Severe Knee Pain Associated with Osteoarthritis: 24-Week Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2b Study,” will also be held in the Basic Science session on Thursday, April 26, 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the AAPM Resource Center in the Vancouver Convention Center. The abstract is Poster 112.

CNTX-4975 is based on Centrexion’s proprietary STRATI technology (Synthetic TRans cApsaicin ulTra-pure Injection), a highly potent, ultra-pure, synthetic form of trans-capsaicin. CNTX-4975 is designed to be injected directly into the site of pain to provide rapid onset, large reduction and long duration of relief from moderate to severe joint pain without affecting touch sensibility or position sense. CNTX-4975 works by targeting the capsaicin receptor (TRPV1) to selectively and rapidly inactivate the local pain fibers transmitting signals to the brain. CNTX-4975 is cleared from the body within 24 hours, since it has a short half-life.

This approach is designed to provide pain relief that can last for months until the ends of the local pain fibers regenerate, while maintaining normal sensation such as touch, pressure and position, and avoiding the risks of toxicities of NSAIDs, injected corticosteroids, and the side effects associated with opioid treatments. In January, CNTX-4975 was granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pain associated with knee osteoarthritis.