Galapagos receives EU2.9 million IWT grant for cystic fibrosis research
January 13 2014 - 12:33AM
Galapagos NV (Euronext: GLPG) announced today that it has
been awarded a €2.9 million grant from the Flemish
agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) for cystic
fibrosis (CF) research. The goal of this 3-year
project is to identify and progress multiple promising CF
therapies towards pre-clinical candidates
.
The goal of the IWT-funded program is to
progress correctors into pre-clinical development and gain better
insight in the mode of action of Galapagos' potentiator and
corrector molecules, thereby understanding better their therapeutic
value. Galapagos recently announced the selection of a
pre-clinical candidate potentiator, GLPG1837, the first part of the
combination therapy needed to address the needs of most CF
patients. This IWT grant will fund research toward finding
correctors, which are needed in combination with GLPG1837.
Galapagos will collaborate in this project with Professor Dr
Christiane De Boeck from the Catholic University of Leuven, and the
research group of Professor Dr Ineke Braakman at Utrecht
University.
"We are very pleased with the enthusiastic
support from the IWT for our innovative research in cystic
fibrosis," said Dr Piet Wigerinck, Chief Scientific Officer of
Galapagos. "Today's grant will add more tools to our exciting
new approach in finding correctors."
Galapagos initiated its research in CF in 2005
as part of a collaboration with the Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation. In September 2013 Galapagos signed an agreement
with AbbVie in which they will work collaboratively to develop and
commercialize oral drugs that address the main mutations in CF
patients, including F508del and G551D. In December 2013,
Galapagos selected GLPG1837 as a pre-clinical candidate and expects
to start the first clinical trial before end 2014. A
corrector pre-clinical candidate is expected to be nominated before
end 2014, with clinical trials starting at the end of 2015.
About Cystic Fibrosis Cystic
fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary disease of the entire body which
leads to severe disability and early death in many cases.
Symptoms include frequent lung infections, sinus infections, poor
growth, and diarrhea. The cause is a defect in a gene which
encodes for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator
(CFTR), a protein which regulates components of sweat, mucus, and
digestive juices. CF affects approximately 70,000 people
worldwide. Patient symptoms are treated with antibiotics and
other medicines. There currently is no cure for the disease,
and the predicted median age of survival is in the late 30s.
New therapies in development for the main mutation, F508del
affecting 70% of CF patients, involve combining two drugs: a
corrector to restore the mutation plus a potentiator to allow
efficient opening of the CF channel.
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 EUR 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 specialized in novel modes-of-action, with a large
pipeline comprising of six Phase 2 studies (three led by GSK), one
Phase 1 study, six pre-clinical, and 20 discovery small-molecule
and antibody programs in cystic fibrosis, inflammation,
antibiotics, metabolic disease, and other indications. AbbVie and
Galapagos signed an agreement in CF where they work collaboratively
to develop and commercialize oral drugs that address two mutations
in the CFTR gene, the G551D and F508del mutation. Potentiator
GLPG1837 is at the pre-clinical candidate stage. In the field
of inflammation, AbbVie and Galapagos signed a worldwide license
agreement whereby AbbVie will be responsible for further
development and commercialization of GLPG0634 after Phase 2B.
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
about to enter Phase 2 studies in Crohn's disease. Galapagos
has another selective JAK1 inhibitor in Phase 2 in ulcerative
colitis, psoriasis, and lupus, GSK2586184 (formerly GLPG0778,
in-licensed by GlaxoSmithKline in 2012). GLPG0974 is the
first inhibitor of FFA2 to be evaluated clinically for the
treatment of IBD; this program is currently in a Proof-of-Concept
Phase 2 study. GLPG1205 is a first-in-class molecule that
targets inflammatory disorders and has completed Phase 1 studies.
The Galapagos Group, including fee-for-service companies BioFocus,
Argenta and Fidelta, has around 800 employees and operates
facilities in five countries, with global headquarters in Mechelen,
Belgium. Further information at: www.glpg.com
Contact
Galapagos NV Elizabeth Goodwin, Director
Investor Relations Tel: +31 6 2291 6240 ir@glpg.com
Galapagos forward-looking statements This
release may contain forward-looking statements, including, without
limitation, statements containing the words "believes,"
"anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "estimates,"
"may," "will," "could," "stands to," and "continues," as well as
similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements may involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which
might cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or
achievements of Galapagos, or industry results, to be materially
different from any historic or future results, financial
conditions, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, the
reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date of publication of this document. Galapagos
expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such
forward-looking statements in this document to reflect any change
in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based,
unless required by law or regulation.
Galapagos receives €2.9 million IWT grant for cystic fibrosis
research http://hugin.info/133350/R/1754157/591840.pdf
HUG#1754157
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