SynAct Pharma AB (publ) (“SynAct”) today announced it will introduce the generic name resomelagon for its lead candidate AP1189, a biased melanocortin receptor agonist developed for treatment of active inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Resomelagon was recently included by the World Health Organization (WHO) on list 89 of recommended International Nonproprietary Names (INN), to denote the structure of the active part of AP1189.
“We are pleased that WHO has assigned a generic name for our leading drug candidate, AP1189, targeting inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis,” said Jeppe Øvlesen, CEO of SynAct Pharma. “The company is working hard to advance its development programs in RA. We are on track and still expect data from both our clinical phase 2 studies, RESOLVE and EXPAND, in the second half of 2023, and we will introduce the new name, resomelagon (AP1189), in our future communication.”
The INN expert group at WHO has agreed to use the suffix “-melagon” for designation of the non-peptidic melanocortin 1 and 3 agonists. The prefix “reso”, specific to AP1189, is referring to its effect on resolution of inflammation.
List 89 of recommended INN, including resomelagon, will be published in WHO Drug Information, Vol 37, No 1, 2023. According to the WHO, INNs facilitate the identification of pharmaceutical substances or active pharmaceutical ingredients. Recommended International Nonproprietary Names does not imply any recommendation of the use of the substance in medicine or pharmacy.
The information was submitted, through the agency of the contact person below, for publication at 07:00 a.m CEST on March 30, 2023