uniQure Outlines Key Initiatives for 2017 and Vision for 2018
January 09 2017 - 7:00AM
-- Preparations Underway for Late-Stage
Development in Hemophilia B
uniQure N.V. (NASDAQ:QURE), a leader in human gene therapy, today
announced its key corporate initiatives for 2017 and vision for
2018 following the completion of a company-wide strategic review
late last year that refocuses its pipeline, streamlines operations,
improves its financial position and enhances overall execution and
shareholder value. uniQure management is meeting with
investors and analysts this week in conjunction with the 35th
Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference taking place in San
Francisco. An updated corporate presentation is posted to the
investor page of the Company’s website, www.uniqure.com.
“As we begin 2017, we expect each of our core
programs to achieve important milestones that will bring us closer
to delivering life-transforming gene therapies for patients,”
stated Matthew Kapusta, chief executive officer of uniQure.
“Our key focus is to rapidly advance our hemophilia B program into
late-stage development. By 2018, we expect to have three
clinical-stage programs, including a pivotal study for AMT-060 in
hemophilia B, and two clinical proof-of-concept studies for
congestive heart failure and Huntington’s disease. We believe
our financial position is strong and capable of funding the
accomplishment of these objectives.”
Recent Accomplishments
- Hemophilia B – Presented positive new and updated clinical data
on AMT-060 at the 58th American Society of Hemophilia (ASH) Annual
Meeting demonstrating clinically significant and sustained
increases in FIX activity, substantial reductions in FIX
replacement usage and a near cessation of spontaneous bleeding
in patients with severe disease at up to 12 months follow-up.
- Huntington’s disease – Published in a peer-reviewed journal
preclinical data showing sustained and strong wild-type HTT protein
silencing in humanized control mice, including knock-down
efficiency up to 80% using optimized miHTT scaffolds.
- Collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) – Made
significant progress in transferring S100A1 to uniQure’s
proprietary insect-cell, baculovirus platform, as well as
conducting preclinical dose-ranging analyses and comparability
studies.
- Strategic review – Announced the completion of a company-wide
strategic review to refocus its pipeline, streamline operations,
reduce operating costs and enhance execution and long-term
shareholder value.
- Leadership – Appointed Matthew Kapusta as Chief Executive
Officer in December 2016.
Key Corporate Initiatives for 2017
- Advance hemophilia B program towards late-stage clinical
development – The Company intends to initiate a pivotal trial for
AMT-060 in hemophilia B pending discussions with regulatory
authorities that are expected to take place in early 2017.
- Advance AMT-130 in Huntington’s disease program towards IND
filing – The Company plans to file an investigational new drug
(IND) application for Huntington’s disease following the completion
of ongoing IND-enabling studies, including the initiation of
additional safety and toxicology studies.
- Advance AMT-120 in heart failure towards IND filing – uniQure’s
collaboration with BMS in cardiovascular diseases is a top research
priority, specifically focused on the advancement of S100A1 in
congestive heart failure. The Company expects to initiate
preclinical functional and safety studies for S100A1 in 2017, as
well as conduct additional research activities for two additional
product candidates designated by BMS.
- Presentation of preclinical and clinical data – Data
presentations on programs in hemophilia B and Huntington’s disease
are expected in 2017, including longer-term safety and efficacy
data on AMT-060 from the ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial and
preclinical data on AMT-130 in Huntington’s disease.
- Initiate manufacturing campaigns – uniQure expects to initiate
cGMP manufacturing campaigns for all anticipated clinical programs
in its Lexington, MA facility in 2017. The Lexington facility
is fully operational and has the capability of scaling up to 2,000L
capacity, which uniquely positions the Company for late-stage
development and commercialization of its gene therapy products,
importantly AMT-060.
uniQure had approximately €140 million ($158
million) in cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2016,
which is expected to fund operations into 2019.
About uniQure uniQure is
delivering on the promise of gene therapy – single treatments with
potentially curative results. We are leveraging our modular and
validated technology platform to rapidly advance a pipeline of
proprietary and partnered gene therapies to treat patients with
hemophilia, Huntington’s disease and cardiovascular diseases.
www.uniQure.com.
uniQure Forward-Looking
StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking
statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact
are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms
such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect,"
"goal," "intend," "look forward to", "may," "plan," "potential,"
"predict," "project," "should," "will," "would" and similar
expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management's
beliefs and assumptions and on information available to management
only as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding
the implementation and effects of the Company’s new strategic and
organizational changes, the development of our gene therapy product
candidates, the success of our collaborations and the risk of
cessation, delay or lack of success of any of our ongoing or
planned clinical studies and/or development of our product
candidates. Our actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons,
including, without limitation, risks associated with corporate
reorganizations and strategic shifts, collaboration arrangements,
our and our collaborators’ clinical development activities,
regulatory oversight, product commercialization and intellectual
property claims, as well as the risks, uncertainties and other
factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" in uniQure’s
2015 Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on April 4, 2016. Given these risks,
uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, and we assume no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new
information becomes available in the future.
uniQure Contacts:
Maria E. Cantor
Direct: 339-970-7536
Mobile: 617-680-9452
m.cantor@uniQure.com
Tom Malone
Direct: 339-970-7558
Mobile: 339-223-8541
t.malone@uniQure.com
Eva M. Mulder
Direct: +31 20 240 6103
Mobile: +31 6 52 33 15 79
e.mulder@uniQure.com
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