Effimune Chairman Maryvonne Hiance commented that “We decided to change the name of TcL Pharma which will now be known as Effimune, a name that better reflects our aims and our visions, and strengthens our therapeutic targets and special knowledge. The name change takes place with immediate effect.”
Effimune is a spin-off of the Institute of the Transplantation of Urology and Nephrology (ITUN) in Nantes and was founded by Prof. Jean-Paul Soulillou. ITUN was the first European kidney transplant centre, and contributed to the introduction of inhibitors of the recapture of the IL2 such as Simulect (Novartis) and Zenapax (Roche). This is the environment in which Effimune has built up a substantial level of expertise in procedures for the development of new molecules.
Portfolio of Effimune products: three monoclonal antibodies:
- The FR104, which is the most advanced product (a First in class) and is a specific antagonist for CD28. It is a pegylated humanised fragment of a monoclonal monovalent antibody. The FR104 is in the pre- clinical phase and first clinical trials on humans are expected to take place in 2012. Early indications are for psoriasis and kidney transplants. Mass manufacture is sub-contracted to the Lonza group.
- MD 707 is a humanised monoclonal antibody that specifically eliminates active T lymphocytes without affecting the regulator cells. Early indications for MD707 are for type 1 diabetes.
- MP 196 is a monoclonal antibody that can inhibit the interaction of IL 23 with its receptor and thereby block the development of auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and Crohn’s disease.
About Effimune
Effimune is a specialist biotech company dedicated to the discovery and the development of drugs which regulate the immune system in organ & tissue transplantation and autoimmune disease. Effimune developed the first ever biotech drug with selective immunosuppressive activity. By blocking effector T lymphocytes but not regulatory T lymphocytes, this agent has the potential to restore the immune tolerance that is impaired in people suffering from certain autoimmune diseases and after organ or cell transplantation.
Based in Nantes (France), the company was a spin-off of the Institute for Transplantation; Urology and Nephrology (ITUN, Europe’s leading centre for kidney and combined kidney/pancreas transplantation). The first monoclonal antibodies developed by Effimune (FR104, MD707 and MP196) are based on novel approaches to immune system regulation. Effimune is focusing on the development of drugs in the field of autoimmune disease and in organ and tissue transplantation. The company's expertise encompasses every step in a drug’s development, including the identification of treatment targets of interest and drug discovery, proof of concept, pre-clinical trials and phase I clinical trials right through to the first human-based phase II clinical trials. For further information, please visit the website www.effimune.com
For more informations :
Effimune :
Maryvonne Hiance
Présidente
Effimune
Tél : +33 (0) 240 412 834/+33 (0) 680 060 183
mhiance@effimune.com
ALIZE RP :
Caroline Carmagnol
Tél: 33 1 42 68 86 43
Mobile : 33 6 64 18 99 59
caroline@alizerp.com
Anne Sophie Cosquéric
Tel. : 33 1 42 68 86 41
Anne-sophie@alizerp.com
