4basebio UK Societas Evaluation licence for muscular dystrophy vector
April 27 2021 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDM4BB
27 April 2021
4basebio UK Societas
("4basebio", the "Company" or the "Group")
Evaluation licence for muscular dystrophy vector
4basebio UK Societas (AIM: 4BB), the specialist life sciences group focused on
exploiting intellectual property in the field of gene therapies and DNA
vaccines, is pleased to announce it has signed research collaboration and
evaluation license agreements with Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL).
Under the terms of the agreements, the parties will collaborate to develop a
HermesTM based non-viral vector incorporating a patented full length dystrophin
gene with the view to developing a novel therapy for treatment of Duchenne
muscular dystrophy (DMD).
4basebio will fund a two year collaboration with the Translational Genetic
Medicine Laboratory at RHUL led by Dr. Linda Popplewell. 4basebio will take
charge of the design and development of muscle targeting HermesTM vectors
whilst the team at RHUL will be responsible for in vitro and in vivo validation
of the vectors and evaluate their efficacy for treatment of muscular dystrophy
in appropriate models. The vectors will incorporate RHUL's patented, highly
expressive full length dystrophin gene.
Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a group of inherited genetic conditions that
gradually cause the muscles to weaken, leading to an increasing level of
disability. MD is a progressive condition, which often begins by affecting a
particular group of muscles, before affecting the muscles more widely.
Some types of MD eventually affect the heart or the muscles used for breathing,
at which point the condition becomes life-threatening. Successful completion of
this project will pave the way to further progress the vector to a potential
gene therapy for DMD, the most common of the MDs, through pre-clinical proof of
concept.
The project is expected to extend over two years; the terms of a commercial
licence have also been agreed between the parties, which the Company has an
option to exercise, should this first stage project prove successful.
Dr Heikki Lanckriet, CEO and CSO for 4basebio noted: "We are delighted to have
signed these agreements with Royal Holloway and are very pleased to be working
with Dr Popplewell who is a world leading expert in the development of novel
treatments for DMD. Our Cambridge team is looking forward to collaborating
with the Popplewell Research Group in developing a non-viral based delivery
system capable of delivering full length genes to muscle cells."
Dr Linda Popplewell of RHUL has said: "Gene therapies approved for DMD are
mutation-specific and those undergoing clinical testing deliver shortened
versions of the dystrophin gene with limited therapeutic potential. This
exciting collaboration provides a fantastic opportunity to develop a therapy
applicable to all patients and capable of restoring full length dystrophin
protein expression."
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the UK Market
Abuse Regulation.
For further enquiries, please contact:
4basebio UK Societas +44 (0)12 2396 7943
Heikki Lanckriet
Nominated Adviser +44 (0)20 7213 0880
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP
Jo Turner / Sandy Jamieson
Broker +44 (0)20 7220 0500
finnCap Ltd
Geoff Nash/Richard Chambers/Charlotte Sutcliffe
END
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