OPXA Profile
Opexa
Therapeutics, Inc. (OPXA) was a biopharmaceutical company that focused
on developing personalized immunotherapies to treat various autoimmune
diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The company's main
product candidate was Tcelna, a novel T-cell immunotherapy that aimed
to reprogram the immune system to reduce the autoimmune attack on
myelin, the protective covering of nerves that is damaged in MS.
Opexa Therapeutics was founded in 2004 and was headquartered in
The Woodlands, Texas. The company went public in 2006 and was listed
on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol OPXA. However, in
May 2018, the company announced that it had completed a reverse merger
with Acer Therapeutics, Inc., and the Opexa Therapeutics name and
ticker symbol were retired.
At the time of the merger, Opexa
Therapeutics had a market capitalization of approximately $17.5
million. The company had no approved products and was heavily
dependent on the success of its Tcelna clinical program. The company
had conducted several clinical trials to evaluate the safety and
efficacy of Tcelna in patients with MS, including a Phase IIb clinical
trial called Abili-T.
The Abili-T study enrolled 180 patients
with secondary progressive MS and evaluated the safety and efficacy of
two different doses of Tcelna compared to placebo. The primary
endpoint of the study was the percentage of patients who experienced a
confirmed disability progression, as measured by the Expanded
Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The study did not meet its primary
endpoint, as neither dose of Tcelna showed a statistically significant
difference compared to placebo.
Despite the disappointing
results from the Abili-T study, Opexa Therapeutics continued to
explore the potential of Tcelna and other immunotherapies for MS and
other autoimmune diseases. The company had a strong intellectual
property portfolio and a team of experienced scientists and
researchers. However, the company faced significant challenges in
securing additional funding to continue its research and development
efforts, and the decision to merge with Acer Therapeutics was made in
an effort to create a stronger, more financially stable company.
In conclusion, Opexa Therapeutics was a biopharmaceutical company
that focused on developing personalized immunotherapies for autoimmune
diseases, including MS. The company's main product candidate, Tcelna,
did not meet its primary endpoint in a Phase IIb clinical trial, but
the company continued to explore the potential of this and other
therapies. The company ultimately merged with Acer Therapeutics in
2018 in an effort to create a stronger, more financially stable
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