C3 Inhibitors
2 drugsAbout C3
Complement component 3 (C3) is a central protein in the complement system, enhancing antibody and phagocytic cell function to clear microbes and promote inflammation. As a key component of innate immunity, C3's dysregulation is implicated in various disorders.
C3 is a therapeutic target due to its pivotal role in the complement cascade. Currently, there is no genetic evidence directly linking C3 to specific diseases, but its position makes it a point of therapeutic intervention.
Two FDA-approved drugs target C3: EMPAVELI (3 indications) and SYFOVRE (2 indications), both small molecules from Apellis Pharmaceuticals. EMPAVELI was first approved in 2021, followed by SYFOVRE in 2023, spanning ophthalmology and other therapeutic areas.
Top C3 Drugs
Apellis Pharmaceuticals is the only company with approved C3-targeting drugs.
The market is highly concentrated, suggesting high barriers to entry or an opportunity for disruption.
C3 Drug Modality Landscape
Modalities
Routes of Administration
C3 is druggable by small molecules, though no oral formulations are currently approved.
Consider exploring alternative modalities like antibodies or biologics to differentiate from existing therapies.
C3 Clinical Trials 28 trials
Phase 1-4 trials started in 2008 or later that test an FDA-approved drug acting on C3. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. How we count
Completion by Phase
| Phase | Total | Completed | Stopped | Active | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 67% |
| Phase 2 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 80% |
| Phase 3 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 86% |
| Phase 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - |
Top Sponsors
By Modality
Top Conditions
Top Drugs
Phase 3 Readout Calendar Pro
2 Phase 3 trials testing approved C3 drugs across all sponsors.
Coverage: trials whose intervention is an approved drug targeting C3. Pre-approval candidates with development codes (e.g. AZD0901, MK-7240) are not yet linked. Anchored on CT.gov primary completion date.
C3 Drug Approval Timeline (2021 - 2023)
The first C3-targeting drug was approved in 2021, with the most recent in 2023.
Recent approvals indicate growing interest in C3 modulation, suggesting a promising but potentially saturating market.
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Competitive Landscape
- • 1 companies competing
- • Market share by company
Full Drug Portfolio
- • All 2 approved drugs
- • Approval dates & indications
Genetic Validation
- • Full genetic evidence table
- • Effect sizes & directions
Approval Timeline
- • Full 2-drug timeline
- • First-of-modality markers
Clinical Trials Analysis
- • Sponsors: 7 (5 companies)
- • Completion rates by condition
Full summary • All drugs • Genetic evidence • Trials • Timeline
How We Count Trials
- Trials: phase 1-4 interventional trials on ClinicalTrials.gov that started in 2008 or later and test an FDA-approved drug acting on C3. A trial counts if an approved drug acting on C3 is in any arm, including as a comparator, and a trial that tests two such drugs counts once. Trials that test only unapproved drugs are not counted. A trial listed as phase 1/2 counts as phase 1, and phase 2/3 as phase 2.
- Active: recruiting, not yet recruiting, enrolling by invitation, or active and no longer recruiting.
- Completion rate: of the trials that have ended, the share marked Completed rather than Terminated or Withdrawn. Completed means the trial ended as planned; it does not mean the drug worked. Suspended trials are not counted as ended.
- Stopped: terminated or withdrawn. Trials stop for many reasons, including slow enrolment and business decisions, not only safety or efficacy.
- Sponsors: the lead sponsor of each trial. Companies are the sponsors ClinicalTrials.gov classes as industry; the rest are universities, hospitals, cooperative groups, government bodies and individuals.