ProCyte Corp. announced Tuesday that it is expanding PhaseI/II clinical trials on its peptide-copper drug to treatinflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The drug, Iamin-IB, apparently promotes an anti-inflammatoryresponse and induces growth of epithelial tissue, both of whichare important to healing.

In preliminary trials, Iamin-IB was administered in a retentionenema to patients whose disease did not respond toconventional IBD treatments. The clinical investigatorrecommended expanding the four-week treatment period tofurther evaluate the drug's safety and potential therapeuticeffects, the Kirkland, Wash., company (NASDAQ:PRCY) said.

ProCyte estimated that ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease,the most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease, affect2 million people in the U.S.

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