Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVA) is discontinuing a mid-stage study of its experimental oral drug emrusolmin after concluding the trial had a low probability of meeting its main goal if continued.
The company was testing emrusolmin in adults with multiple system atrophy, a rare neurodegenerative disorder that causes patients to lose coordination and balance or become slow and stiff. The drug is designed to target alpha-synuclein, a key disease mechanism in the condition. The study’s primary goal was to measure changes in patients’ symptom scores over 48 weeks.
Teva said the decision followed a recommendation from an independent data monitoring committee, based on a planned early analysis to assess whether the study was unlikely to succeed. It stressed that this was an interim predictive assessment rather than the trial’s final efficacy analysis, and that no safety concerns were identified.
“While we are disappointed by the outcome of this interim analysis for the Phase 2 study, we remain deeply committed to learning everything we can from these data,” said Eric Hughes, Teva’s chief medical officer.
Analysts had been cautious. Daniel Clark of Leerink Partners said limited clinical evidence, and a history of failed candidates targeting alpha-synuclein aggregation in multiple system atrophy, had kept expectations for the study measured.
Teva, which is developing the drug in partnership with MODAG GmbH, said the discontinuation did not represent a final decision on the broader emrusolmin program. It plans to share the study findings after completing a comprehensive analysis.