Research & Treatments
Positive Phase II Clinical Trial Results in Treating Bullous Pemphigoid Marc Yale
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n April 2019, biopharmaceutical company Akari Therapeutics announced positive results from its Phase II clinical trial that investigated the use of nomacopan (brand name, Coversin) to treat patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP). These results could provide patients with a new treatment option beyond current treatments, such as corticosteroids. The trial demonstrated nomacopan to be highly effective with an excellent safety profile. Recently IPPF Executive Director Marc Yale sat down with Dr. Paulatsya Joshi to ask him about the trial. Dr. Joshi is the medical director at Akari Therapeutics in London. Previously, he was the medical director of Wilson Therapeutics AB, London, focusing on ALS (Neurology) and Wilson Disease (Neuro/Gastroenterology). He has also worked as a medical director with BioMarin Pharmaceutical Ltd, London, concentrating on muscular dystrophy. He
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Quarterly | Summer 2019
has held multiple appointments as a clinical research physician, including with Pfizer; served as a clinical development physician; and worked in clinical medicine since 2005. Dr. Joshi holds a CCT with Diploma in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine from Royal College of Physician, London, and a medical degree in anaesthesia from Gujarat University, Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, India. When was Akari Therapeutics formed? Dr. Paul Joshi (PJ): Akari Therapeutics was formed in New York and London (UK) in 2015. How long have you been at Akari Therapeutics? PJ: I started working as a Medical Director in November 2017. I am responsible for providing medical leadership for Akari’s BP clinical program.
www.pemphigus.org
