Bausch Health Companies Inc. and Salix Pharmaceuticals announced that they will be presenting data from its Phase 2 trial evaluating Amiselimod as treatment for active ulcerative colitis (UC). The data will be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2024 during the IMIBD Late Breakers and Innovations in IBD session on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The research to be featured at DDW 2024 and available via the meeting's online platform is as follows: Hanauer, Stephen B. et al. "Amiselimod for the treatment of active ulcerative colitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial" Abstract #4094796.

The Phase 2 clinical trial was a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, dose ranging study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Amiselimod in 320 patients with mildly-to- moderately active UC. Bausch Health announced positive topline results from this study in December 2023. Amiselimod is a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor functional antagonist and, by inhibiting the receptor function of the lymphocyte sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor, retains lymphocytes sequestered in the lymph nodes and prevents them from contributing to autoimmune reactions.

Due to this mechanism of action, Amiselimod may potentially be useful for various autoimmune diseases. Affinity to S1P1 and S1P5 receptor subtypes, suggests that Amiselimod could potentially have a more pronounced effect on ulcerative colitis related inflammation than compounds with restricted activity on S1P1 receptor subtype exclusively or combined activity on S1P1 and S1P5.