XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. announced that the company has received additional preclinical data regarding the role of hCDR1 as a potential treatment for Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) from Prof. Edna Mozes of The Weizmann Institute of Science and the developer of hCDR1. The expansion of these in-vitro data includes peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from additional blood samples from patients with primary SS. The data to date show that incubation with hCDR1 results in a statistically significant reduction in the gene expression of four pathogenic cytokines known to be involved in SS and lupus (including B-lymphocyte stimulator or BLyS), as well as upregulation of an immunosuppressive gene and a marker for activity of regulatory T cells. Such effects were previously seen in similar studies involving lupus patients. Concurrently, hCDR1 is in development for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), has been tested in over 400 patients, and is ready to enter a global Phase 2 trial for SLE. Based on hCDR1’s well known mechanism of action and favorable safety profile, the company plans to pursue an accelerated clinical development path for the treatment of SS.