Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) and the US company EpiVax, Inc. (EpiVax) today announced that they have completed a collaborative project that provides a novel approach for creating next generation botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) and Targeted Secretion Inhibitor (TSI) therapeutics. Ipsen is actively developing an innovative platform of novel neurotoxin derived therapeutics, including TSI, that is opening up new therapeutic opportunities to address various medical conditions with unmet need.
EpiVax will move the program forward, continuing potential product development for clinical use in neuromuscular health and aesthetic treatments. EpiVax will present the results of the research program so far conducted at the upcoming IBRCC 2015 conference on botulinum neurotoxins, in Frederick Maryland. EpiVax applied its proprietary T cell epitope modification technology "ISPRI" to generate an engineered BoNT sequence. This platform program employs two key technologies developed and perfected by EpiVax: deimmunization and tolerization.
Claude Bertrand, EVP Research & Development and Chief Scientific Officer of Ipsen stated: "Ipsen is pleased to have had a partnership with the US company EpiVax. This work is part of Ipsen's commitment to apply modern protein engineering and recombinant protein expression to enable development of novel and improved botulinum neurotoxin products for increased therapeutic utility and patient care".
Anne De Groot, CEO of EpiVax, commented: "The global biologics market is large, totaling nearly $234 billion in 2014 and expected to reach $386 billion by the end of 2019. This "stealth BoNT" program illustrates the potential to develop an entirely new product line of biologics. It capitalizes on technological advances and promises to bring better drugs, with defined mechanisms of action and well-known safety and efficacy profiles, to market."
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