DGAP-News: Press Release: 4SC Discovery and BioNTech announce exclusive research and license agreement for 4SC's TLR agonists for cancer immunotherapy
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-News: 4SC AG / Key word(s): Agreement/Alliance
Press Release: 4SC Discovery and BioNTech announce exclusive research
and license agreement for 4SC's TLR agonists for cancer immunotherapy
17.12.2012 / 07:30
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Press Release
4SC Discovery and BioNTech announce exclusive research and license
agreement for 4SC's TLR agonists for cancer immunotherapy
Planegg-Martinsried and Mainz, Germany, 17 December 2012 - 4SC AG
(Frankfurt, Prime Standard: VSC), a discovery and development company of
targeted small molecule drugs for autoimmune diseases and cancer, today
announced that its fully-owned research subsidiary 4SC Discovery GmbH has
entered into an exclusive worldwide research and license agreement with
biopharmaceutical company BioNTech AG, Mainz, Germany. The goal of the
agreement is the development and commercialisation of 4SC's new small
molecule toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists as an anti-cancer immunotherapy.
Under the agreement, 4SC Discovery will receive from BioNTech an upfront
payment of EUR 2.5 million for its small molecule TLR agonists to be used
as an anti-cancer immunotherapy. The programme is currently in early
development. BioNTech will receive an exclusive license for worldwide
marketing and commercialisation rights of the TLR agonists for use in
cancer immunotherapy and in other therapeutic areas. 4SC Discovery is
eligible for shares of sublicensing proceeds of BioNTech, payments for
specific sales milestones as well as for royalties linked to product net
sales.
Dr. Daniel Vitt, Managing Director of 4SC Discovery GmbH and Chief
Scientific Officer at 4SC AG, commented: 'We are very pleased to have won
BioNTech - a pioneer in the field of cancer immunotherapies - as an ideal
license partner for our TLR agonists. Our goal is now to speed-up and
jointly develop a novel breakthrough therapy toward the market addressing
the high medical need in the exciting field of cancer immunotherapy.'
Dr. Ulrich Dauer, Chief Executive Officer of 4SC AG, added: 'We are proud
that, only a year after launching its operations, our research subsidiary
4SC Discovery has entered into its first early-stage partnering deal with
one of the programmes from our research engine and with such a highly
innovative partner as BioNTech. After having already secured a number of
research service collaborations with biotech and pharma companies this
year, this first licensing partnership of 4SC Discovery is another strong
signal for the value generation potential of 4SC's research. It is also a
clear fulfilment of the promise we made to the capital markets at the
beginning of the year when we started 4SC Discovery with the strong
intention to focus on the commercialisation of our early-stage research
activities.'
Prof. Dr. Ugur Sahin, Chief Executive Officer of BioNTech AG, noted: 'We
are delighted to enter this partnership with 4SC Discovery - a company with
a great track record and vast expertise in small molecule drug discovery in
oncology. With 4SC's TLR agonists, we expect to create additional value to
our own proprietary cancer immunotherapy platform. We see a particular
opportunity since TLR agonists, given as a supplementary therapy, are
expected to increase the efficacy of our cancer immunotherapy programmes.'
Ends
About 4SC's TLR research programme for cancer immunotherapy
4SC Discovery GmbH has a strong research focus on cancer immunotherapy,
besides epigenetics and cancer stem cells. The aim of cancer immunotherapy
is to develop substances that can influence the immune system of cancer
patients in such a way that the patient's immune system recognises and
destroys the primary cancer cells and tumour metastases.
Toll-like receptors represent a promising target class for cancer
immunotherapy. They represent a kind of alarm system in the human body. The
activation of this alarm system, for instance by 4SC's small molecule
substances (TLR agonists), results in the stimulation of the immune system
and a release of messenger and signaling molecules in the body, including
interferons as well as other cytokines and chemokines. Applying a TLR
agonist in combination with a chemotherapeutic drug, results in the
destruction of the primary tumour bulk by the chemotherapeutic agent, while
the activated immune system can achieve a final 'clean up' of undetectable
tumour remainders which are otherwise often the cause for a later relapse
of the disease. A further advantage of TLR agonists lies in the combination
with various forms of vaccines. Thus TLR agonists have the potential to
increase the efficacy of these cancer vaccines.
About BioNTech AG
BioNTech AG (Biopharmaceutical New Technologies) is a spin-off of Johannes
Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. As a holding company with six subsidiaries,
BioNTech researches and develops novel immune-based technologies to boost
the body's immune system for the targeted treatment of numerous cancers.
The company owns a number of cancer-specific target structures and uses
proprietary technology platforms to develop medicines that are specifically
directed against these target structures. BioNTech also researches,
develops and manufactures diagnostics for the detection of cancer, based
upon identification of selectively expressed biomarkers.
About 4SC Discovery GmbH
4SC Discovery GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of 4SC AG that offers
technologies and tailored research services covering drug discovery and
chemical optimisation through to a preclinical development candidate. The
company focuses its services on offering customers in the pharmaceutical,
biotech and chemical industries the cost and time-to-market benefits that
result from a drug discovery and optimisation process based on a powerful,
computer-aided, screening and discovery platform. In addition, 4SC
Discovery also applies its comprehensive pharmacological expertise to
investigating new compounds in the areas of cancer and autoimmune disease -
a strategy also intended to further enhance the clinical development
pipeline for the 4SC Group. 4SC Discovery aims to engage in partnerships
with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to accelerate the development of
its research programmes and further advance their commercialisation.
About 4SC Group
The Group managed by 4SC AG discovers and develops targeted small-molecule
drugs for the treatment of diseases with a high unmet medical need in
various autoimmune and cancer indications. These drugs are intended to
provide patients with innovative treatment options that are more tolerable
and efficacious than existing therapies, and provide a better quality of
life. At the end of September 2012, 4SC Group had 90 employees. The company
was founded in 1997. 4SC AG has been listed on the Prime Standard of the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange since December 2005.
Legal Note
This document may contain projections or estimates relating to plans and
objectives relating to our future operations, products, or services; future
financial results; or assumptions underlying or relating to any such
statements; each of which constitutes a forward-looking statement subject
to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual
results could differ materially, depending on a number of factors.
For more information about 4SC please visit www.4sc.com and
www.4sc-discovery.de or contact:
4SC AG
Jochen Orlowski, Corporate Communications&Investor Relations
jochen.orlowski(at)4sc.com, Tel.: +49-89-7007-63-66
MC Services
Raimund Gabriel, Mareike Mohr
raimund.gabriel(at)mc-services.eu, Tel.: +49-89-2102-2830
mareike.mohr(at)mc-services.eu, Tel.: +49-89-2102-2840
The Trout Group
Chad Rubin
Crubin(at)troutgroup.com, Tel.: +1-646-378-2947
For more information on BioNTech, please contact:
Professor Dr. Ugur Sahin
Tel: +49 6131 576 270 14
End of Corporate News
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17.12.2012 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Language: English
Company: 4SC AG
Am Klopferspitz 19a
82152 Martinsried
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)89 7007 63-0
Fax: +49 (0)89 7007 63-29
E-mail: public(at)4sc.com
Internet: www.4sc.de
ISIN: DE0005753818
WKN: 575381
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard);
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News-Service
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