Dimerix Limited announced additional positive in vitro data to support further development of its drug candidate DMX-700 to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the fourth-leading cause of death in the world. The DMX-700 drug candidate has been shown to block Interleukin 8 receptor beta and angiotensin II receptor type 1 that have been independently implicated in the pathophysiology of COPD. Novel findings on molecular pharmacology profiling, using a number of techniques including using Receptor-HIT, has demonstrated that the DMX-700 drug candidate abolished receptor signalling involved in neutrophil recruitment. IL-8 is produced by epithelial cells, airway smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, and in many chronic inflammatory diseases including COPD, is expressed at elevated levels leading to abnormal recruitment of neutrophils that cause damage to the lung tissue. Prior studies have shown that inhibiting signalling of IL-8R reduces neutrophil movement and subsequently reduces mucus production and inflammation in COPD. Clinical studies run by other parties investigating the efficacy of IL-8R inhibitors alone in the treatment of COPD have been disappointing to date. However, using its proprietary heteromer identification and characterisation platform, Receptor-HIT, Dimerix identified the heteromer nature of the IL-8R with AT1R and has discovered that simultaneous inhibition of both receptors may significantly improve treatment efficacy for patients with COPD.