Chemomab Therapeutics Ltd. announced the publication of a peer-reviewed research article describing how CCL24 is a key driver of the fibrotic and inflammatory disease processes that result in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare disease of the bile ducts that has no FDA-approved treatments and is often fatal. The publication also includes preclinical studies showing that CM-101, Chemomab's CCL24-neutralizing antibody, is effective in interrupting these fibro-inflammatory processes and could potentially improve patient outcomes. CM-101 is currently in a Phase 2 trial for the treatment of PSC.

The research article, CCL24 regulates biliary inflammation and fibrosis in primary sclerosing chalangitis, was published in the June edition of JCI Insight. The publication describes the role of CCL24 in PSC and highlights the potential therapeutic effect of blocking CM-101. The authors report a wide range of studies confirming the relationship between elevated CCL24 expression and pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory processes, noting that CCL24 expression induces the activity of multiple cell types that are highly associated with fibrotic disease pathogenesis.

Studies reported in the publication utilized samples from patients with PSC and unveiled novel findings that establish, for the first time, the role of CCL24 within the crosstalk between immune cells, fibroblasts and cholangiocytes, which, together regulate the biliary damage seen in PSC. Importantly, inhibition of CCL24 with CM-101 demonstrated a significant attenuation of key fibrotic and inflammatory processes, specifically evident in the damaged biliary area of the liver. Chemomab has reported encouraging results from three clinical trials of CM-101, including a Phase 2 liver fibrosis trial in NASH patients and an investigator-initiated study in patients with severe lung injury.

A Phase 2 trial in primary sclerosing chOLangitis patients is ongoing, with topline data expected in the latter part of 2024.