Safety/Efficacy Study of Bovine Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase in Patients With Moderate to Severe Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is characterized by abnormal activation of, and damage to, the colon epithelium, which is considered to be a central pathogenic mechanism. Activation of colon epithelium cells in UC is associated with an abnormal high expression of Toll-like receptors, including TLR-4, the major transducer of LPS, binding specifically the lipid A portion of LPS. Alkaline Phosphatase binds and subsequently dephosphorylates LPS, thereby eliminating the ability of LPS to activate TLR-4. This is expected to 1) prevent activation of the intestinal epithelium and 2) prevent systemic inflammatory responses that result from transmigration of endotoxin though the leaky inflamed intestinal mucosa. Therefore, it is expected that administration of BIAP may attenuate or prevent the local and systemic inflammatory response in patients with severe ulcerative colitis.