MediciNova, Inc. announced that MediciNova?s collaborator, Perenlei Enkhbaatar, MD, PhD, FAHA, Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Director, Translational Intensive Care Unit, Charles Robert Allen Professor in Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, presented new data and results of a nonclinical study evaluating MN-166 (ibudilast) in a chlorine gas-induced acute lung injury (CIALI) model at the Society of Toxicology (SOT) 63rd Annual Meeting and ToxExpo in Salt Lake City, Utah. The primary objective of this nonclinical efficacy study was to determine the safety and pharmacological activity of MN-166 (ibudilast) following ALI induced by chlorine (Cl2) gas inhalation in a clinically relevant translational ovine model. In this study, single-dose and multi-dose treatments were evaluated.

The primary endpoint was the mean change in the pulmonary function measure PaO2/FiO2, which is the ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen. Additional endpoints included survival, lung mechanics, lung injury, and edema formation evaluated by chest x-ray. After a Cl2 gas challenge (210 ppm x 30 min) to induce moderate ALI (mean PaO2/FiO2<200 mmHg), the test subjects were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups: MN-166 (ibudilast) low dose (10 mg) or high dose (20 mg), a positive control (rolipram 1 mg), and vehicle (negative control).

Cl2 gas concentration of 210 ppm x 30 min was expected to result in a 20 - 30% mortality rate (Fukuda 2015). This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, under contract number 75A50121C00022.