[Socium Co., Ltd.] Socium Co., Ltd. and Sichuan University West China Hospital have decided to start an investigator-initiated clinical trial of SO-002, a therapeutic drug candidate for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
*Socium Co., Ltd.*
Press release: September 17, 2024
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Socium Corporation and Sichuan University West China Hospital have decided to start an investigator-initiated clinical trial of SO-002, a therapeutic drug candidate for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front row left: Socium Co., Ltd. CEO Katsuhisa Horimoto Front row right: Sichuan University West China Hospital Professor Shang Huifang
Socium Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director Katsuhisa Horimoto) and China’s Sichuan University Huaxi Hospital (Commercial)
Professor Keiyoshi (Department of Neurology/Rare Diseases) would like to inform you that we have decided to start an investigator-initiated clinical trial of our therapeutic drug candidate SO-002 in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This clinical trial was approved by the Ethics Committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University on September 12th, and will begin immediately after the contract and other administrative procedures are completed.
* [Background of research and development] *
ALS is a progressive disease in which motor neurons (*1) degenerate, resulting in muscle atrophy and muscle weakness.Currently, two drugs are being used as treatments, but the disease is difficult to treat fundamentally, and further treatment is needed. There is a need for the development of therapeutic drugs.
* [About investigational drug (SO-002)] *
Socium Co., Ltd. will use its proprietary computational analysis platform to restore the characteristic gene expression patterns of ALS patients to those of healthy individuals from among drugs already used as therapeutic agents for other diseases. We discovered the drug SO-002 (cycloserine) that has this effect. SO-002 (cycloserine) is a drug already used as a treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. We confirmed that it suppresses this at extremely low concentrations. Regarding clinical trials of this drug for ALS, in February 2023, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), an independent administrative agency in Japan, approved the validity of conducting a phase II trial without conducting a phase I trial. It is allowed.
* [About Sichuan University West China Hospital] *
Sichuan University West China Hospital (founded in 1892) is China’s national general hospital and is positioned as a central facility for the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases. West China Hospital boasts cutting-edge medical research and is highly rated in world rankings for clinical medicine. West China Hospital has 9 national key departments, 2 key training departments, and 34 national key clinical specialty departments, and is also the hospital with the highest number of designations in China. In addition, we have received the highest rating of A in the national evaluation of public tertiary medical institutions for four consecutive years, and have been ranked 2nd in China’s hospital rankings conducted by Fudan University for 13 consecutive years.
* [About Socium Co., Ltd.] *
Socium Inc. is a venture company that utilizes drug repositioning (*2) technology to discover drug seeds. We are working to overcome unmet medical needs with the vision of “bringing medicine to people who don’t have it, and medicine to people for whom medicine doesn’t work.” Unique AI drug discovery platform Compound-Eyes(TM), Drug
We own Saver(TM), Cyber-Drug-Discovery(TM), etc., and search for drug discovery seeds based on gene expression pattern analysis without assuming conventional pharmacological targets. In addition to providing these technical services, we currently have therapeutic seeds for neurodegenerative diseases and improving cancer resistance.
(*1) Motor neuron
Nerve cells that transmit commands from the brain to skeletal muscles. Long protrusions can extend up to several tens of centimeters to transmit signals. In ALS patients, these nerve cells degenerate and die, making it impossible for skeletal muscles to move.
(*2)Drag repositioning
Searching for new disease indications for existing drugs on the market and drugs under development. Also, search for existing drugs that have efficacy against target diseases.
Socium Co., Ltd.
2-4-7 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Waterfront City Center
Bio-IT fusion research building 5th, 6th, and 7th floors
https://socium.co.jp/ja/
E-mail: contact@socium.co.jp