Galapagos receives EU1.6 million IWT grant for hepatitis B program
February 11 2015 - 1:33AM
Galapagos NV (Euronext: GLPG) announces that the Flemish
Agency for Innovation through Science and Technology (IWT) has
awarded a €1.6 million grant to support the development of new
antiviral therapies against hepatitis B, in a collaboration project
with Prof. Johan Neyts of the Rega Institute of the University of
Leuven and Prof. Stephan Urban of the University Hospital in
Heidelberg.
The goal of the project is to identify novel
compounds and targets with the potential to cure chronic hepatitis
B infection, allowing patients to come off current life-long
therapy. Research will focus on compounds against viral
protein targets and on inhibitors of host cell proteins.
Galapagos will use its proprietary target and drug discovery
platform to identify novel modes of action and screen for candidate
drugs. The Rega and Heidelberg sites will contribute to
the development of assays, perform analysis of the mechanism of
action of drug candidates, and bring in expertise of the virus and
its life cycle to accelerate the progression of drug
development.
"Chronic hepatitis B is a disease area with
significant unmet medical need, and where Galapagos and its
academic partners can bring unique expertise to bear on finding new
therapies," said Dr Piet Wigerinck, Chief Scientific Officer of
Galapagos.
"It would be an enormous advance if patients could be cured of
their chronic HBV infection" said Prof. Johan Neyts, virologist at
the University of Leuven.
About chronic hepatitis B Hepatitis B
virus (HBV) is a member of the Hepadnavirus family of small DNA
viruses, which are adapted to infect specifically the livers of
different species. In adults HBV infections are typically acute and
self-resolving; however in 5-10% of cases they can become
chronic. In children and infants this rate becomes
significantly higher (up to 90%). In chronic infection, the
virus establishes itself in the liver of the host and over time
leads to progressively more severe pathology, including eventually
cirrhosis, and, in a proportion of cases, hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC). The proven link between HBV and HCC makes the virus one of
the most significant known carcinogens. The disease is a
significant burden to world health, with approximately 350 million
chronic sufferers worldwide, and around 650,000 deaths per year
attributed to the effects of chronic HBV infection such as HCC.
Treatments currently employed for HBV include prophylactics
such as vaccines to prevent infection or therapeutics to treat
established chronic infection. However, so far no therapeutic
vaccines have been developed, and drugs such as nucleosides which
are highly effective at reducing viral load in patients do not
result in functional cures in the majority of cases, even after
years of therapy. Interferon therapy can give rise to functional
cure in a small proportion of patients, however, the treatment is
poorly tolerated. Because of these issues new treatments are
required, and it is likely that combination approaches like those
taken with the hepatitis C virus will be key to establish
functional cures in HBV.
About IWT The agency for Innovation by
Science and Technology (abbreviated as IWT) is the government
agency founded in 1991 by the Flemish Government to support
technological innovation projects in Flanders. Each year IWT
distributes about €300 million in subsidies for innovation projects
to companies, organizations, research and educational institutions
in Flanders. In addition to financial support, IWT also
assists companies by, for instance helping them find the right
information or the right partners at home or abroad, providing
assistance with the preparation of projects for European programmes
and with technology transfer throughout Europe. IWT also has
an important coordination mandate aimed at promoting close
cooperation among all the actors involved in technological
innovation in Flanders. For more information, please visit
http://www.iwt.be or call +32 2 432 42 00.
About Galapagos Galapagos (Euronext:
GLPG; OTC: GLPYY) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company
specialized in the discovery and development of small molecule
medicines with novel modes of action, with a pipeline comprising
three Phase 2 programs, two Phase 1 trials, five pre-clinical
studies, and 25 discovery small-molecule and antibody programs in
cystic fibrosis, inflammation, and other indications. In the
field of inflammation, AbbVie and Galapagos signed a collaboration
agreement for the development and commercialization of
GLPG0634. GLPG0634 is an orally-available, selective
inhibitor of JAK1 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and
potentially other inflammatory diseases, currently in Phase 2b
studies in RA and in Phase 2 in Crohn's disease.
GLPG1205, a first-in-class inhibitor of GPR84, is currently being
tested in a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial in ulcerative colitis
patients. GLPG1690 is a compound that targets pulmonary
diseases and is currently in a Phase 1 trial. AbbVie and
Galapagos also signed a collaboration agreement in cystic fibrosis
to develop and commercialize molecules that address mutations in
the CFTR gene. Potentiator GLPG1837 is currently in a Phase 1
trial, and corrector GLPG2222 is at the pre-clinical candidate
stage. The Galapagos Group, including fee-for-service
subsidiary Fidelta, has approximately 400 employees, operating from
its Mechelen, Belgium headquarters and facilities in The
Netherlands, France, and Croatia. Further information at:
www.glpg.com
CONTACT
Galapagos NV Elizabeth Goodwin, Head of
Corporate Communications & IR Tel: +31 6 2291 6240
ir@glpg.com
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