Corgentech Licenses Novel Peptide Delivery System From Cyclacel to Assist Systemic Delivery of TF Decoys
Monday September 27, 7:00 am ET
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and DUNDEE, Scotland, Sept. 27
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Corgentech Inc. (Nasdaq: CGTK - News), a biotechnology
company, and Cyclacel Group plc, a United Kingdom-based biopharmaceutical
company, announced today that Corgentech has entered into an exclusive license
to utilize Cyclacel's Penetratin(R) Endonuclear Delivery System for use with
Corgentech's transcription factor decoy (TF Decoy) technology platform. The
Penetratin system is a proprietary peptide with unique carrier properties for
delivery into cells.
Corgentech's TF Decoy technology is a new class of therapeutics that blocks the activity of multiple genes linked to a disease. The company has developed a proprietary method using controlled uniform pressure for efficient delivery of TF Decoys into cells and tissues. Its lead product, edifoligide (E2F Decoy) is a novel and proprietary TF Decoy delivered under pressure, which is in Phase 3 clinical trials for the prevention of bypass vein graft failure.
"Penetratin peptides represent an exciting and versatile additional delivery technology that will help us to expand the number of diseases addressable by our drugs," said John McLaughlin, Corgentech's president and chief executive officer.
The license grants Corgentech use of Cyclacel's Penetratin endonuclear delivery technology with TF Decoys. Cyclacel will receive an up-front payment, milestone payments, and royalties if licensed products are commercialized. No further financial terms were disclosed. Penetratin enables systemic cellular delivery by chemically linking to TF Decoys, and actively transporting the TF Decoy therapy into cells. Corgentech will have responsibility for the development and commercialization of TF Decoys combined with a Penetratin peptide.
"We are pleased to work with Corgentech, a leader in transcription factor decoy technology, on this exciting project. Corgentech's selection of our Penetratin delivery technology to develop new generation transcription factor decoys is a promising new application. We look forward to working with further partners to realize the potential of our Penetratin technology," said Spiro Rombotis, Cyclacel's chief executive officer.
About Penetratin
Penetratin peptides are a family of short proprietary peptides which enable the cellular delivery of biologics and small molecules. Rapid clearance from serum, high labeling index and absence of tissue specificity make Penetratin peptides efficient vehicles for systemic delivery of therapeutics interacting with drug targets in the cellular cytosol and nucleus. Penetratin peptides are useful as conjugates with small molecules and biologics, such as antisense, siRNA, oligonucleotides and other payloads for therapeutic delivery and for target validation. Penetratin peptides and conjugates are the subject of pending and granted patent applications including US 6,080,724; US 5,888,762; EP 485578B1 and US 6,472,507.
About Cyclacel
Cyclacel is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel, mechanism-targeted drugs to treat human cancers and other serious disorders. The company is currently evaluating two compounds in clinical studies. CYC202, a Cyclin Dependent Kinase inhibitor in Phase II clinical trials for Non-Small Cell Lung cancer and in B cell hematological malignancies and CYC682 an orally available nucleoside analog in Phase Ib trials for cancer. Cyclacel also has seven programs in preclinical development.
About Corgentech
Corgentech is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of a new class of therapeutics called transcription factor decoys, or TF decoys. Corgentech is creating a pipeline of novel therapeutics based on its proprietary TF decoy technology, focused initially on the treatment of cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disease and cancer. For more information on the company and its technology, visit www.corgentech.com. |
