Tobira Therapeutics Announces Initiation Of ORION - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Tobira Therapeutics, Inc. (TBRA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced the enrollment of the first patient into the Phase 2a ORION study.

ORION is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the treatment effects of cenicriviroc or CVC in about 50 obese adults with prediabetes or diabetes and suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD. The primary outcome of ORION will measure changes in insulin sensitivity in peripheral and adipose tissue over a 24-week period and will include an interim analysis at 12 weeks, the company noted.

The over-expression of CCR2 and CCR5 receptors and their ligands in fat tissue of obese patients has been shown to promote inflammation and increase insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with the development of NAFLD and is a key driver for disease progression to its more severe form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH, as well as other diabetes related complications.