Press Releases
January 14, 2002
Neurotech signs license agreement with Amgen
Amgen grants Neurotech an exclusive license to develop and market
CNTF (ciliary neurotrophic factor) in the field of ophthalmology
Paris, January 14, 2002 - Neurotech S.A., specialist in the discovery,
development and commercialization of retinal and other eye therapies,
announces today the signature of a milestone license agreement with
Amgen Inc. of Thousand Oaks, California. Neurotech, operating out
of Paris and Rhode Island, has obtained the exclusive right from
Amgen to use CNTF in all ophthalmology indications. Neurotech has
also been granted an exclusive license from the Regents of the University
of California under a patent claiming the use of CNTF in degenerative
eye disease.
CNTF is known to have protective effects in animal models of retinitis
pigmentosa, a currently untreatable eye disease, but there is no
practical way of delivering this protein into the eye. This has
prevented clinical studies in this degenerative disease of the retina
which is one of the leading causes of blindness in young adults,
affecting some 200,000 patients worldwide. However, Neurotech recently
demonstrated proof of concept in animals that its encapsulated cell
technology (ECT) product NT-501 reliably delivers CNTF in the eye
over long periods of time and indeed protects the retina from degeneration.
The financial terms of the license were not disclosed but include
an up-front payment, milestone payments, and royalties on future
product sales.
"This transaction is a key milestone in the development of
Neurotech's lead ophthalmology ECT product, NT-501, CNTF for retinal
degeneration," said Tom Shepherd, CEO of Neurotech. "It
is a great endorsement of our technology and I am particularly pleased
that our compelling pre-clinical data was able to persuade both
Amgen and the University of California to grant Neurotech exclusive
licenses to this potent molecule."
Retinal disease remains a major unmet medical need in ophthalmology
due to problems of drug delivery across the Retina Blood Barrier
(RBB) and affects millions of patients. Neurotech has overcome these
delivery barriers with the ECT technology and has two products in
development with a variety of potential therapeutic applications:
- NT-501, which delivers CNTF, is in late pre-clinical development
and clinical trials are expected to start this year in retinitis
pigmentosa. Future studies are planned in Age Related Macular
Degeneration (AMD) and Glaucoma.
- The second program involves delivering an undisclosed anti-angiogenic
factor to treat diabetic retinopathy and the "wet" form
of AMD.
Neurotech S.A., Lincoln, Rhode Island, and Paris, France, develops
cell therapy and protein delivery products for the eye. Neurotech's
Encapsulated Cell Technology (ECT) allows, for the first time, the
long-term administration of protein drugs in the eye and CNS. In
addition to the ECT, Neurotech has a portfolio of cell therapy products
in development to treat eye and CNS disease. Neurotech has R&D
operations in France and the United States and is supported by an
international group of investors including: Merlin Biosciences,
Apax Partners, 3i Plc, Atlas Venture, Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale,
GIMV, CDC-Innovation, Sofinnova, ABN Amro, AGF Innovation, Rothschild,
Banexi, IMH, Private Equity Holdings, Sudinnova, and Banque de Vizille.
For further information please contact :
Ted Danse, CEO
Neurotech
Phone: 1 401 333-3880 x3116
Email: t.danse@neurotechusa.com
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