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Biotech / Medical : HuMAB companies -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: nigel bates who wrote (945)	10/5/2009 4:45:41 PM
From: nigel bates	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1022

Ghent, Belgium, 30 September 2009 – Ablynx [Euronext Brussels: ABLX], today announced that it has reached a second milestone under the terms of its collaboration with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth. A milestone payment of $4 million has been triggered by the initiation by Wyeth of a first Phase II multiple dose study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for a Nanobody® targeting tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Wyeth entered into a Phase I study in healthy volunteers in December 2008 in the USA and Japan. Based on a successful conclusion of that study, where the Nanobody® was safe and well tolerated, Wyeth has today initiated a multiple dose Phase II study in RA patients. Ablynx entered into an exclusive research collaboration and license agreement with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in November 2006, a deal potentially worth $212.5 million for the successful development and commercialisation of multiple products. In addition, Ablynx is eligible to receive royalties on product sales. Wyeth has exclusive rights to develop and commercialise anti-TNF-alpha Nanobodies® developed under the collaboration. TNF-alpha is a key drug target in combating inflammation related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Dr Edwin Moses, CEO and Chairman of Ablynx commented: “After a successful Phase I study in healthy volunteers in the USA and Japan, we are delighted that Wyeth has progressed the TNF-alpha programme into a Phase II study in patients with RA. Therapeutics targeting TNF-alpha generated $16.8 billion in sales in 2008, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is well positioned with its Enbrel franchise to progress this Nanobody® programme towards the market and create another great success.” Separately from the Wyeth programme, Ablynx has two Nanobodies® in clinical development: ALX- 0081 currently in a Phase II patient study and ALX-0681 which has just successfully completed a Phase I healthy volunteer study. Both these programmes target von Willebrand factor. “We are excited that this TNF-alpha programme is now in Phase II. We are on track to enter Phase I with ALX-0141, our anti-RANKL programme, before the end of this year, which means there will then be a total of four Nanobodies® in clinical trials”, added Dr Moses.