Crohn’s disease affects 1.7m* people globally and >70,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. More than 50% of patients** with Crohn’s disease can develop significant fibrosis and stricture formation within ten years after diagnosis; this fibrosis associated with Crohn’s disease is known as fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease.

The current management of fibrotic strictures of the GI tract is primarily surgical as no drugs are specifically approved for fibrosis, which can progress despite intervention with anti-inflammatory therapies.

Relapse rate post-surgical intervention is high with >50% patients requiring further surgery within 10 years, many within 12 months. Consequently, patients suffer progressive loss of GI function and repeated resections can lead to major health complications such as short bowel syndrome.

RXC008 is designed to work specifically at the site of fibrosis in the GI tract and to degrade quickly, if absorbed into the bloodstream, through enzyme-mediated metabolism. Preclinical data from Redx’s GI-targeted ROCK inhibitor research project shows strong anti-fibrotic therapeutic effects in multiple animal models of inflammatory bowel disease.

The Company plans to submit an IND/CTA application for RXC008 at the end of 2023.

Refs: * Clarivate, Crohn’s disease disease landscape & forecast pg 39, Published Sep 2022; ** Chan et al, 2018