Efficacy and Safety Study Comparing CPL409116 to Placebo in Participants With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis

The purpose of the following phase II clinical trial is to determine safety and effectiveness of Janus kinases and Rho-kinases inhibitor (JAK/ROCKi) in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis after oral administration of investigational medicinal product (IMP) called CPL409116. JAK inhibitors are a new class of small molecule drugs that modulate inflammatory pathways by blocking one or more JAK receptors. In recent years, JAK inhibitors have emerged as a new option for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, skin disorders and others. CPL409116 inhibits JAK1 and JAK3 with less inhibitory activity against JAK2 and Tyk2. Inhibition of these kinases decreases inflammatory cytokine release which in turn decreases lymphocyte activation and proliferation. Moreover, CPL409116 blocks Rho-kinases (ROCKs), which are involved in diverse cellular processes including actin cytoskeleton organization, cell adhesion and motility, proliferation, apoptosis as well as smooth muscle contraction. ROCKs signalling is one of the major pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular, renal as well as fibrotic diseases. However recent data indicate their role in immune cell regulation and inflammatory disease development. CPL409116 was designed predominantly for the therapy of immune-related diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriasis but the unique mode of action of this compound may be beneficial for patients suffering from fibrotic complications developing on the basis of autoimmune diseases. RA is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterised by persistent joint inflammation leading to loss of joint function as well as cartilage and bone damage. Chronic, progressive course of the disease results in disability, reduced quality of life, as well as higher comorbidity and mortality rates. It is well documented that JAK kinases play a pivotal role in cytokine receptor signalling to phosphorylate and activate signal