Atlantic Healthcare

The company's lead product candidate is alicaforsen, an antisense oligonucleotide designed to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Alicaforsen works by inhibiting the production of ICAM-1, a protein involved in the inflammation process. The drug was originally discovered by Ionis Pharmaceuticals (formerly Isis Pharmaceuticals) and licensed to Atlantic Healthcare in 2007. Atlantic Healthcare has been developing an enema formulation of alicaforsen for the treatment of pouchitis, a serious inflammation of the surgically constructed intestinal pouch in ulcerative colitis patients who have had their colons removed. This condition has no currently approved treatments.

Alicaforsen has received Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pouchitis. The company has conducted multiple clinical trials, including a large Phase 3 trial across the U.S., Canada, and Europe to evaluate the efficacy and safety of alicaforsen enema. However, in 2019, the Phase 3 trial for pouchitis did not meet its primary endpoints, though the company noted the drug was safe and well-tolerated and planned to discuss regulatory options with the FDA. In addition to pouchitis, the company has explored alicaforsen for other IBD indications like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Atlantic Healthcare's business model focuses on acquiring and commercializing specialty drugs for hospital and specialist care settings that are often below the commercial threshold for larger pharmaceutical companies. The company has raised significant funding to support its clinical programs, including a Series A round of $24 million in 2016. The leadership team consists of executives with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry.