Vect-Horus announced today the signing of a research collaboration agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. The goal of this collaboration is to use Vect-Horus' proprietary technology to transport various Janssen monoclonal antibodies to the brain for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This deal was facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation Limited.
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Biological drugs including antibodies have great potential in the treatment of brain diseases, however their effectiveness may be limited by their poor ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Vect-Horus has developed its VECTrans® technology that facilitates the delivery of drugs or imaging agents into the brain.
In the research collaboration, Vect-Horus will oversee the design of the conjugates and the conduct of the in vivo proof-of-concept brain uptake studies. Janssen will lead further preclinical and clinical development.
Under the terms of the agreement, Vect-Horus will receive payments for R&D costs and is eligible to receive payments for additional option exercise fees, development and sales milestones.
"We are pleased with the signing of this agreement. Combining the expertise of Janssen in CNS diseases with our brain delivery technology should lead to further progress in treating patients with neurodegenerative diseases," says Alexandre TOKAY, co-founder and CEO of Vect-Horus.
"We are looking forward to working with the Janssen scientists to successfully achieve the objectives we have set out in the agreement," said Dr Jamal TEMSAMANI, Director of Drug Development, Vect-Horus.
This collaboration is part of Vect-Horus' framework strategy, which is to use its VECTrans® technology to enter into R&D agreements with biopharmaceutical companies to generate patentable new chemical entities, based on the vectorization of their drug candidates.
About VECT-HORUS
Vect-Horus designs and develops vectors that facilitate targeting and delivery of therapeutic or imaging agents to organs, including the brain and tumours. Vect-Horus combines these different agents to its vectors that specifically target various receptors, allowing these agents to cross natural barriers (first and foremost the blood-brain-barrier) which limit access of therapeutic or imaging agents to their targets. The proof of concept of the technology has already been established in animal models using different vectorized molecules.
Created in 2005, Vect-Horus is a spin-off of the Institute for NeuroPhysiopathology (INP, UMR7051, CNRS and Aix Marseille University), headed by Dr Michel KHRESTCHATISKY, co-founder.
For more information: http://www.vect-horus.com
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SOURCE Vect-Horus
