PF-05206388—originally developed by scientists led by Professor Pete Coffey at University College London (UCL) in the U.K.—consisted of an polymer scaffold carrying stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells that was designed to be implanted into the eye. The first patient was treated using this therapy way back in late 2015.
But Pfizer’s latest pipeline update reveals that four early-stage clinical projects have been shelved, including this stem cell therapy.
The treatment was codeveloped by Pfizer and derived from embryonic stem cells designed for patients with a condition that can cause blindness. Specialists at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital had described the operation as first “successful” trial, of the 10 that were planned for participants in a trial of the treatment for a disease called ‘wet’ age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The trial involved surgeons inserting a specially engineered patch behind the retina to deliver the treatment cells to replace diseased cells at the back of the eye.
PF-06282999 was under evaluation as a treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and was a member of the myeloperoxidase (MPO) inhibitor class—a group said to have potential in a range of indications including cardiovascular, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Reports say that Pfizer has also decided to
dump another cardiovascular candidate—monoglyceride lipase (MGLL) inhibitor PF-06818883—which was being developed as a treatment for intracerebral hemorrhage, and glucagon receptor blocker PF-06293620 for type 2 diabetes. Pfizer also said in its second-quarter 2017 report that it spent $3.49 billion on R&D in the first half of the year, roughly in line with the same period of 2016.