QAL964

QAL964 is a small molecule inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) that was developed by Novartis for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Syk is a non-receptor cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase essential for signaling through various immunoreceptors, including the B-cell receptor (BCR) and Fc receptors (FcR) found on mast cells, macrophages, and neutrophils. By inhibiting Syk, QAL964 disrupts the activation of these immune cells and the subsequent release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators that contribute to joint inflammation and destruction. The drug was evaluated in a Phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (NCT01384422) involving patients with active RA, where it was administered at doses of 25 mg or 50 mg twice daily. Despite reaching Phase 2, the development of QAL964 was discontinued, and it is no longer listed in the Novartis active pipeline.