Neuropore and UCB enter into world-wide collaboration and agreement
San Diego, CA and Brussels (Belgium) – 16 January 2015 7:00am (CET) – Neuropore Therapies Inc. and UCB announced today that they have entered into a world-wide collaboration and agreement to develop and commercialize therapeutic products aiming at slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. This includes NPT200-11, Neuropore’s novel small molecule that targets pathogenic alpha-synuclein which is currently in preclinical development and is expected to enter clinical Phase 1 in 2015.
"Parkinson's disease is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that results in disruption of normal movement and motor function, as well as cognitive and other life-altering symptoms", said Ismail Kola, President UCB New MedicinesTM. "People living with Parkinson's disease need better treatment options, especially as there is currently no approved treatment that addresses a fundamental pathological mechanism in Parkinson’s disease. With Neuropore’s NPT200-11, we have the opportunity to develop a disease modifying treatment option for patients with Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies."
"We are excited to partner with UCB, a global leader in developing drugs to treat neurological diseases," said Dieter Meier, Neuropore’s CEO. "By working together we wish to accelerate the development of new treatments that can halt or slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases for patients who suffer from such debilitating conditions. UCB’s commitment and expertise in this field offers the best opportunity to collaboratively develop orally available small molecules to treat diseases that affect large patient populations and possibly certain orphan diseases. We anticipate that this partnership will contribute to Neuropore’s further growth to become a leader in discovering and developing innovative nervous system therapies.”
Under the terms of the agreement, UCB will receive the world-wide exclusive license to develop and commercialize NPT200-11 in all indications. UCB and Neuropore will work together to complete non-clinical studies, and a first Phase 1 study to be initiated in 2015. UCB will lead all further clinical development, regulatory activities and commercialization. Neuropore will receive an initial upfront payment of US$20 million and is entitled to potential development, regulatory and sales-based milestones payments, of up to a potential total of US$460 million, in addition to royalties on net sales.
For further information
| Corporate Communications UCB France Nivelle, | Investor Relations UCB Antje Witte, | Media Contact Neuropore: Dieter Meier, MD | ||
| T +32.2.559.9178, france.nivelle@ucb.com | T +32.2.559.94.14, | T +1 858-273-1831, Dieter.Meier@everpharma.com | ||
Laurent Schots, | ||||
About Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. There are an estimated seven to ten million patients with PD worldwide. Current treatments for PD are effective at managing the early motor symptoms of the disease, mainly through the use of levodopa and dopamine agonists. As the disease progresses and dopaminergic neurons continue to be lost, these drugs eventually become less effective at treating the symptoms.
About NPT 200-11
By stabilizing conformations of alpha-synuclein that are then incapable of assembling into toxic pore-like oligomers in cell membranes, NPT200-11, blocks the pathological protein misfolding, aggregation and deposition that contribute to synaptic dysfunction and cell death in PD and related disorders. NPT200-11 is orally bioavailable, has promising drug-like properties and, has shown robust beneficial actions on multiple endpoints in animal models.
About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8500 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of € 3.4 billion in 2013. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news
About Neuropore Therapies Inc
Neuropore Therapies is developing novel small molecule therapeutics to treat and slow the progression of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The approach being taken by Neuropore is to target an underlying pathological process common to these disorders – the accumulation of toxic oligomeric aggregates of misfolded neuronal proteins in cell membranes. By preventing the formation of these toxic aggregates synaptic function may be restored and neurodegenerative processes slowed.
Neuropore Therapies uses structure-based drug design and dynamic molecular modeling to identify key target regions on proteins that are important for the formation of toxic protein aggregates. Candidate compounds targeting these regions are then synthesized and evaluated in cell-free and cell-based assays systems. Promising compounds are then evaluated in various disease-related animal models. For more information visit www.neuropore.com
Forward looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expected legal, political, regulatory or clinical results and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions which could cause actual results to differ materially from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or to obtain them on acceptable terms, costs associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for products in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judicial decisions or governmental investigations, product liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product candidates, changes in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainties in tax laws or the administration of such laws and hiring and retention of its employees. UCB is providing this information as of the date of this press release and expressly disclaims any duty to update any information contained in this press release, either to confirm the actual results or to report a change in its expectations.
There is no guarantee that new product candidates in the pipeline will progress to product approval or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Products or potential products which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differences between the partners. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products after they are marketed.
Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement.
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