Herantis Pharma and Nanoform Enter into Agreement for Proof of Concept Collaboration
Press Release
Herantis Pharma Plc
9th February 2021 at 08:10 a.m. EET
Herantis Pharma Plc (“Herantis”), an innovative clinical stage biotech company pioneering new disease modifying and regenerative biologic and gene therapies, today announced that they have entered into a Biologics Proof of Concept Agreement with Nanoform Finland Plc, an innovative nanoparticle medicine enabling company. The collaboration provides for formulation Proof of Concept studies (PoCs) to combine Herantis’ intranasally administered CDNF therapy for Parkinson’s disease, with Nanoform nanoparticle technology.
Following completion of the Phase I study with CDNF in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in August 2020, the Company announced that moving forward it would focus on additional administration routes not requiring invasive surgery, such as intranasal administration. This strategy is intended to target earlier stage patients, accelerate development timelines, and expedite potential partnering transactions. In parallel to the Company’s ongoing intranasal program for CDNF, the Nanoform project will also separately assess possible enhancement of intranasal drug delivery to the brain of CDNF therapy for Parkinson’s Disease using Nanoform’s proprietary biological nanoparticle technology. This collaboration will compliment Herantis’ current development program on additional administration routes for CDNF. Under the agreement, Nanoform will undertake up to two proof of concept studies with Herantis’ CDNF molecules.
“CDNF is now one of a few clinical stage assets in development with the potential for disease modification of Parkinson’s Disease. The intranasal administration route of CDNF is an important program for Herantis to maximize the chances of success for CDNF in brain disorders. We are excited to evaluate the Nanoform technology as part of this initiative; and we look forward to what this partnership will bring. It is our hope that this collaboration will shine a light on new possibilities to improve the lives of patients with Parkinson’s and other related diseases,” said Dr. Craig Cook, CEO, Herantis Pharma.
“We are delighted to finalize this collaborative Agreement with Herantis and initiate our partnership together. Brain delivery for biologicals and small molecules is an immensely challenging route of administration and we firmly believe nanoparticles have a significant role to play in enhancing and hopefully enabling this. We are excited with the prospect of exploring how our nanoparticles can potentially enable drug delivery opportunities and solve challenges in this space,” said Christian Jones, Chief Commercial Officer of Nanoform.
For more information, please contact:
Julie Silber/Gabriela Urquilla
Tel: +46 (0)7 93 486 277/+46 (0)72-396 72 19
Email: ir@herantis.com
Certified Advisor: UB Securities Ltd, Finland: +358 9 25 380 225, Sweden: +358 40 5161400
Company website: www.herantis.com
About Herantis Pharma Plc
Herantis Pharma Plc is an innovative clinical stage biotech company with a diverse pipeline of pioneering investigational therapeutics looking to modify the course of debilitating nervous system and lymphatic diseases and break the boundaries of standard therapeutic approaches. Leveraging deep scientific brilliance in protein dysregulation for neurodegenerative diseases, and growth stimulation in lymphatic diseases, Herantis is advancing a rich pipeline of regenerative biological and gene therapies for high impact diseases. These include i. CDNF biological therapy that acts on the proteostatic mechanisms of disease for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, and ii. Lymfactin® VEGF-C gene therapy for restoring lymphatic structure and function for the treatment of oncology related secondary Lymphedema and other lymphatic based diseases. Herantis is pursuing disease modifying treatments that slow, stop, or even reverse the course of diseases, and bring much needed innovation to these underserved diseases. The shares of Herantis are listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland and Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden. For more information, please visit https://www.herantis.com
About Nanoform
Nanoform is an innovative nanoparticle medicine enabling company. Nanoform works together with pharma and biotech partners globally to provide hope for patients in developing new and improved medicines utilizing Nanoform’s platform technologies. The company focuses on reducing clinical attrition and on enhancing drug molecules’ performance through its nanoforming technologies and formulation services. Nanoform’s capabilities include GMP manufacturing, and its services span the small to large molecule development space with a focus on solving key issues in drug solubility and bioavailability and on enabling novel drug delivery applications. Nanoform’s shares are listed on the Premier-segment of Nasdaq First North Growth Market in Helsinki (ticker: NANOFH) and Stockholm (ticker: NANOFS). Certified Adviser: Danske Bank A/S, Finland Branch, +358 40 562 1806. For more information, please visit http://www.nanoform.com