Glycorex Transplantation AB (publ) has previously announced that the company is collaborating with a leading European research institute in order to develop a product for the treatment of the autoimmune disease, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Glycorex can announce that this institute is University Hospital in Toulouse (UHT). Within this collaboration Glycorex is combining its unique technology base incorporating with RA-associated compounds developed at the University Hospital in Toulouse.

The goal is to develop a specific extracorporeal blood treatment of chronically ill Rheumatoid arthritis patients. The RA-associated compounds are exclusively licensed to Glycorex. Glycorex and UHT shares the same intention and aim being to introduce a new treatment on the market.

The feasibility of this product has already been demonstrated in successful in vitro tests. The product has also undergone biocompatibility studies and a number of different required blood analysis tests with excellent results. The next step will be to conduct a clinical study in accordance with the extensive EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR).

MDD (the Medical Device Directive) is replaced by MDR. The new regulation shall be implemented for all medical devices in the EU within the next few years. The first goal will thus be to fulfill the requirements for MDR and the company has initiated and is working on this process. The clinical study will most likely be conducted in collaboration between Glycorex and the university hospitals in Toulouse & Marseille.

The disease is considered to reduce life expectancy by about ten years. Up to 10% of patients do not respond to treatments and here see great potential. Given the great potential and medical benefits, the RA project is a high priority in development work.

The global market for RA treatments in total was estimated at $14 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach $18 billion in 2023.