Herantis Pharma Plc provides update on non-invasive next generation CDNF (xCDNF) development
Herantis Pharma Plc
Company release, insider information 30 December 2019 at 11:00 AM Eastern European Time
Herantis Pharma Plc (“Herantis” or “Company”) announced today an update on the development of its non-invasive next generation CDNF, or xCDNF. The xCDNF development program was initiated in July 2018 to develop cell-protecting molecules that penetrate the blood-brain barrier, building on the Company’s cumulated expertise on CDNF, Herantis’ lead compound in Parkinson disease. The xCDNF program is based on the discovery of certain CDNF-derived peptides penetrating the blood-brain barrier while retaining the cell-protecting properties of CDNF, which would enable a less invasive treatment.
The Company has now selected a total of three lead molecules, which it intends to carry forward in its xCDNF development. As part of the lead selection process Herantis has already proceeded with the optimization of some of the candidate molecules, resulting in significantly improved pharmacokinetic profiles. The xCDNF development will continue with lead optimization.
“The timing of our xCDNF development complements well the advancement of the Phase 1-2 clinical trial testing CDNF in Parkinson’s disease patients. We expect initial read-outs from this first-in-human study in Q1/2020,” said Pekka Simula, CEO of Herantis. “Any clinical data supporting the continued development of CDNF would also be very encouraging for our xCDNF program. Though still in early stage of development, the properties of our xCDNF lead candidates suggest exciting potential for drug development even beyond Parkinson’s disease. The novel cell-protecting mechanisms of CDNF and xCDNF appear relevant to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. We aim to present initial preclinical results, when completed, in a peer-reviewed scientific publication and/or at a scientific conference.”
About xCDNF
Herantis’ xCDNF development program is based on peptides derived from the natural CDNF protein, which has been characterized as a potent neuroprotective and neurorestorative factor. The xCDNF compounds have been shown to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and retain the cell-protecting properties of CDNF, which suggests potential for a non-invasive drug candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Herantis announced its xCDNF development program in 2018 after acquiring related intellectual property rights from the University of Helsinki. Herantis has also filed additional patent applications to further strengthen its position in the development of xCDNF. Herantis has not announced a timeline or target indication of a possible clinical development program with xCDNF.
Further information:
Herantis Pharma Plc, Pekka Simula, CEO, telephone: +358 40 7300 445
Company web site: www.herantis.com
Certified Advisor: UB Securities Ltd, Finland: +358 9 25 380 225, Sweden: +46 72 888 43 83
About Herantis Pharma Plc
Herantis Pharma Plc is an innovative drug development company breaking the boundaries of standard therapeutic approaches. Our regenerative medicine drug candidates, CDNF and Lymfactin®, aim to revolutionize the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, and of secondary lymphedema. The shares of Herantis are listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland with ticker symbol “HRTIS” and Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden with ticker symbol “HRNTS”.