Galapagos is developing oral therapeutics to combat the joint destruction and inflammation that characterize rheumatoid arthritis.

The Company announced that its candidate against kinase target GT418 demonstrates significant bone protection and reduced inflammation in the industry standard mouse model. The effect of this oral compound was at least equivalent to Enbrel® (etanercept), the injectable anti-TNF treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. The compound also demonstrates good bioavailability in three animal species. Based on these encouraging results, pre-clinical development has started, with the aim to file an IND by the end of 2008 and initiate a clinical Phase I trial shortly thereafter.

In October 2007, Galapagos entered into a worldwide multi-target alliance with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, a Johnson & Johnson company, to discover and develop novel small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of RA.