In the studies presented today, a TLR antagonist candidate was evaluated in a high-fat diet mouse model of hyperlipidemia. Mice fed a high-fat diet had elevated total serum cholesterol (T-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), elevated serum leptin, increased hepatic and renal steatosis, and increased body weight gain relative to mice fed a normal diet. Treatment with an antagonist of TLR7 and TLR9 showed dose-dependent reduction of the high-fat diet effects on T-C, LDL-C, leptin, steatosis, and body weight gain compared to control mice fed a high-fat diet. Treatment of mice fed a high-fat diet with the TLR antagonist had no effect on serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The studies were conducted with a strain of mice that were deficient in apolipoprotein E (ApoE-/-) and also with a strain of mice with normal lipid metabolism (C57BL/6).

Idera recently announced initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial of IMO-3100, a lead TLR7/9 antagonist for intended application in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

SOURCE Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.