Santhera Licenses Melanocortin-4 Receptor Antagonist Program to BioLineRx
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Santhera Licenses Melanocortin-4 Receptor Antagonist Program to BioLineRx
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Liestal, Switzerland, October 14, 2010 - Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN)
announced today an exclusive license agreement with BioLineRx (TASE: BLRX),
covering Santhera's pre-clinical melanocortin-4 receptor (MC-4R) antagonist
program currently in development for the treatment of cancer cachexia. Under the
agreement, BioLineRx acquires all rights to develop, sub-license and
commercialize the compound. BioLineRx will cover all future costs of the
program. Santhera will receive 22% to 25% of all BioLineRx's sub-licensing
income or royalties on future sales by BioLineRx. The out-licensing deal is in
line with Santhera's strategy to focus on its core late stage or marketed
assets: Catena®, fipamezole and omigapil.
The preclinical activity spectrum of orally active MC-4R antagonists indicates
beneficial efficacy in all key aspects of cachexia such as lack of appetite,
increased resting energy expenditure and enhanced catabolism. The latest
generation of compounds increased food intake 3- to 5-fold and inhibited the
development of cachexia in a disease-relevant animal tumor model.
"We received considerable interest in this program and concluded that BioLineRx
is the best partner for development of our selective, first-in-class MC-4R
antagonists based on their excellent track record in developing similar stage
assets to proof-of-concept in man," said Klaus Schollmeier, Chief Executive
Officer of Santhera. "This agreement with BioLineRx fits well with Santhera's
strategy to focus on its core late stage or marketed assets Catena®, fipamezole
and omigapil."
About cachexia syndrome and MC-4R antagonists
Cachexia (Greek for "poor condition") is one of the most debilitating and life-
threatening aspects of cancer and other severe diseases such as AIDS, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney disease and chronic heart
failure. The syndrome is associated with anorexia (lack of appetite), fat and
muscle tissue wasting and consequently involuntary weight loss, psychological
distress and/or depression and a progressively decreasing quality of life.
Typically, weight loss due to cachexia cannot be compensated for by increased
food intake, which results in wasting of both adipose and skeletal muscle tissue
and poor physical performance. More than 50% of all cancer patients develop
cachexia during the course of the disease, and cachexia is believed to be the
cause of 20% of cancer deaths
Appetite-regulating peptides, pro-inflammatory cytokines and other regulatory
peptides are considered to be major factors in the regulation of appetite and
body weight. One pathway by which cytokines can induce anorexia is via an
increase of pro-opiomelanocortin gene expression in hypothalamic feeding and
energy regulating circuits, leading to an enhanced production of ?-melanocyte
stimulating hormone (?-MSH), a strong inhibitor of appetite. The MC-4R in the
hypothalamus is a crucial target in the pathway through which ?-MSH exerts its
appetite inhibiting and energy wasting effects. The endogenous antagonist
agouti- related protein (AGRP) as well as small molecule MC-4R antagonists
increase food intake, reduce energy expenditure and catabolic activity.
Accordingly, an interruption of this signaling pathway by means of MC-4R
antagonists is seen as a promising treatment option for cachexia.
* * *
About BioLineRx
BioLineRx Ltd. is a publicly-traded (TASE: BLRX) biopharmaceutical development
company based in Jerusalem, Israel, with US offices in Rockville, Maryland.
BioLineRx is dedicated to identifying, in-licensing and developing therapeutic
candidates for unmet medical needs or that have advantages over currently
available therapies. BioLineRx's current development pipeline consists of three
clinical stage candidates as well as seven candidates in various pre-clinical
development stages spanning a variety of indications, including central nervous
system diseases, oncology, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. Two of
BioLineRx's lead compounds have recently been out-licensed. BL-1040, an injected
medical device developed for the prevention of cardiac remodeling in Acute
Myocardial Infarction (AMI) patients was out-licensed in July 2009 to US company
Ikaria Holdings Inc; and BL-1020, a New Chemical Entity indicated for the
treatment of schizophrenia, was out-licensed (North America only), in July 2010
to Cypress Bioscience Inc. For more information about BioLineRx, please visit
www.BioLineRx.com.
About Santhera
Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company
focused on the development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical
products for the treatment of severe neuromuscular diseases, an area of high
unmet medical need which includes many orphan indications with no current
therapy. Santhera's first product, Catena®, to treat Friedreich's Ataxia is
marketed in Canada. For further information, please visit www.santhera.com.
Catena® is a trademark of Santhera Pharmaceuticals.
For further information, contact
Santhera:
Klaus Schollmeier, Chief Executive Officer
Phone: +41 (0)61 906 89 52
klaus.schollmeier(at)santhera.com
Barbara Heller, Chief Financial Officer
Phone: +41 (0)61 906 89 54
barbara.heller(at)santhera.com
Thomas Staffelbach, Head Public & Investor Relations
Phone: +41 (0)61 906 89 47
thomas.staffelbach(at)santhera.com
Santhera Disclaimer/Forward-looking statements
This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for
or purchase any securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This
publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the
Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties
and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition,
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place
undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any
contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update
these forward-looking statements.
[HUG#1451699]
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Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG
Hammerstrasse 49 Liestal Switzerland
ISIN: CH0027148649;
MC-4R Licensing:
http://hugin.info/137261/R/1451699/392767.pdf
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Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 14.10.2010 - 07:00 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 45510
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contact information:
Town:
Liestal
Kategorie:
Business News
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