London, UK, 13 December 2011 – PolyTherics Limited (“PolyTherics”), a provider of technology solutions to enable companies to develop better biopharmaceuticals, today announced that Nuron Biotech, Inc. (“Nuron”), a speciality biologics and vaccines company, has exercised its option to take a licence to PolyTherics’ TheraPEG™ conjugation technology to develop and commercialise a long-acting proprietary human interferon beta-1b (NU400) .
Nuron’s decision to take an exclusive worldwide licence for the application of TheraPEG™ follows its review of data generated by PolyTherics that demonstrates the efficiency of its conjugation chemistry for site-specific attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to its proprietary human interferon beta-1b and the potency and extended half-life of the PEGylated interferon beta-1b. PolyTherics will receive an option fee from Nuron and is eligible for further milestone payments and royalties as Nuron progresses NU400 through development.
“Progression of the development of NU400 under a licence to TheraPEG™ is an important further validation of the potential for PolyTherics’ technology to enable the development of better biopharmaceutical products so that patients can be offered superior treatment options,” commented PolyTherics’ CEO, John Burt.
About PolyTherics
PolyTherics is a private UK biotech company that provides technology solutions to enable the development of better biopharmaceuticals. PolyTherics has developed proprietary technologies for the site-specific conjugation of polymers, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), to any therapeutic peptide or protein, including antibodies, antibody fragments and protein scaffolds. Its proprietary linker chemistry and novel reagents can be used to produce protein drug conjugates, targeted imaging agents, bispecific proteins, and more stable proteins and peptides with longer half-lives. Products developed using PolyTherics’ technologies have significant product quality and production advantages, including better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, increased product homogeneity, consistency of manufacture and more cost-effective process economics.
For more information, please visit: www.polytherics.com
About TheraPEG™
TheraPEG™ has been developed by PolyTherics Ltd as a novel technology for the site-specific attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer to therapeutic proteins and peptides. The innovative TheraPEG™ chemistry can be used to conjugate linear and branched PEG molecules to a diverse range of proteins and peptides. In contrast to other methods of PEGylating proteins, TheraPEG™ offers site-specific conjugation to disulfide bonds to achieve better product homogeneity and a more efficient PEGylation process for improved production economics. Patents for TheraPEG™ have been granted in USA, Europe, India, China and Australia. For more information please visit www.polytherics.com
About Nuron Biotech, Inc.
Nuron Biotech’s vision is to bring innovative and improved biologics to market for the better health of patients. Nuron’s management team consists of proven veteran industry executives who have made significant contributions in developing, launching and managing the life cycle of various biologics. Nuron is currently working on products in three disease areas: central nervous system (CNS), wound healing and vaccines. For more information please visit www.nuronbiotech.com
For more information:
Tim Watson
College Hill
Tel: +44 (0)207 866 7861
Email: polytherics@collegehill.com
