Amgen's autoimmune drug succeeds in late-stage trial

Sept 22 — Amgen said on Tuesday its experimental ​drug to treat an autoimmune disease that attacks the body's moisture-producing glands met ‌the main goal of reducing disease activity in a ⁠late-stage trial.

Here are ​some details:

• The ⁠drug dazodalibep showed statistically significant and ‌clinically meaningful improvement ‌in patients with Sjogren's disease at ⁠week 48.

• Sjogren's ⁠disease can cause extensive dryness of the eyes, mouth and other parts of the body, along with fatigue and chronic pain.

• It affects about 1% of ‌the global population and ​predominantly affects women, according to the National Institutes of Health.

• Amgen said most adverse events in the trial were mild to moderate, with few patients discontinuing treatment.

• Novartis and Johnson & Johnson are also ​developing drugs to treat Sjogren's disease, ‌which has ‌no ⁠approved treatments in the US.

• Amgen plans to present detailed data from the trial at an upcoming medical meeting. The trial ‌is expected to ​be completed in the ‌fourth quarter of ⁠2026.

(Reporting ​by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay ​Kishore)

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