Cyxone's development substance T20K's capacity to prevent and inhibit multiple sclerosis in animal models now verified by independent study
Cyxone can announce today that an independent research group at Monash University in Australia has confirmed the positive effects of the company's development substance T20K on multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms in animal models as previously described.
Cyxone's development programme includes the confirmation of the positive results achieved with T20K on MS in animal models that a research group at the Medical University of Vienna outlined in an article published in March 2016 in the respected PNAS scientific journal and elsewhere. It is standard procedure ahead of clinical trials to allow independent laboratories to confirm the effectiveness of a new drug that is intended to be developed into a competitive product.
The research group investigated whether T20K, through pre-treatment of animals with a single dose administered seven days before initiation of the disease, could prevent the animals from developing MS symptoms, and that daily treatment with T20K after initiation, could prevent the development of MS.
The study showed that only one dose of either 5 or 10 mg/kg of T20K seven days prior to the initiation of the disease significantly delayed the development of symptoms, reduced the extent of MS symptoms, and significantly reduced the overall development of the illness in the animals.
When the test animals were started on an oral treatment of T20K at the same time as the disease was initiated, T20K delayed and reduced the development of symptoms even at 1mg/kg/day. With a dose of 3mg/kg/day, the animals displayed no measurable MS symptoms. The positive control substance Fingolimod (Gilenya) applied at the same 3mg/kg/day dose, showed similar effects on MS symptoms as T20K.
The results from Monash University thereby confirm that T20K has both the capacity to prevent MS, and to treat existing MS. The new study also shows that T20K works at considerably lower doses than previously described. Complete inhibition of MS symptoms takes place with an oral dose of 3mg/kg/day, compared to the previous effective oral dose of 20mg/kg/day.
The results suggest that T20K has a very competitive effect on MS compared to today's leading MS product, Gilenya; and that the safety interval appears to be even greater than previously achieved.
Cyxone's CEO, Kjell Stenberg, says: "Although we never doubted the findings of the research group at the Medical University of Vienna, we're delighted that it's been demonstrated that T20K performs even better against MS in animal models than we had previously thought, which provides encouragement for our work in studying T20K's effects on humans." Cyxone's chairman, Bert Junno, says: "The new results from the Australian laboratory strengthens Cyxone's leading position in the development of safer more effective MS treatments."
March 10, 2017
Contact
Cyxone AB (publ.)
Kjell G. Stenberg, CEO
Tel: +46 (0) 723 816 168
Email: kjell.g.stenberg@cyxone.com
Adelgatan 21
211 22 Malmö
www.cyxone.com
This is information that Cyxone AB is required to publish under the EU Market Abuse Directive. The information was provided under the auspices of the above contact person for publication on March 10, 2017 at 13:00 CET.
About Cyxone
Cyxone AB (publ.) is a biopharmaceutical company that develops drugs based on cyclotides, a class of natural plant protein. Cyclotide technology has the potential to provide new drugs with beneficial pharmacological effects on diseases that currently lack safe and effective treatments. The company is focusing on the development of T20K, a substance that inhibits key processes in cells that are typically associated with various immune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Cyxone's Certified Adviser on the Nasdaq First North is Erik Penser Bank.