Durect initiates trial of DUR-298 to treat moderate, severe alcoholic hepatitis

Durect announced initiation of a phase 2a clinical trial of DUR-298, an endogenous small molecule used to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and other disorders of the livers diseases, in patients with alcoholic hepatitis, according to a press release.

“There is a clear unmet medical need to find effective medical therapy in acute alcoholic hepatitis, so we look forward to seeing how these patients respond when treated with this intravenously administered endogenous small molecule,” Lance Stein, MD, from Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, Georgia, said in the release.

According to the release, the phase 2a open label trial will include two arms: one set of patients with moderate alcoholic hepatitis and one set of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. Patients will receive 30 mg, 90 mg or 150 mg doses to review safety and pharmacokinetic outcomes.

“We are pleased to have started dosing the second of several DUR-928 phase 2 studies planned for this year in a patient population that has no novel effective treatments at this time,” James E. Brown, president and CEO of Durect, said in the release.

Reference: www.durect.com