Cyon Therapeutics Inc. acquires world-wide rights to an anti-PCSK9 antibody for use in Severe Infection and Sepsis

VANCOUVER, Aug. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Cyon Therapeutics Inc.(Cyon) today announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) for their anti-PCSK9 antibody, LGT-209. The licensing deal brings with it worldwide rights for use in SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome) and the prevention and treatment of sepsis. Cyon plans to move immediately into a Phase II clinical program with the antibody; the Phase 1 already successfully completed confirmed that LGT209 was well tolerated and effective in lowering cholesterol, a key mechanism of action expected to prevent and improve outcomes in patients with or at risk for sepsis. The deal includes regulatory and commercial milestones. No financial details were released. 

"Severe infection leading to sepsis remains a significant unmet medical need. Cyon's novel discovery work highlighting a key role of PCSK9 levels and genotype with predisposition to organ failure in the ICU setting, can now advance immediately into a Phase II RCT of this anti-PCSK9 antibody. LGT-209 could be positioned to be a broad spectrum complement to all antibiotics in severe infection", said Dr. John Boyd, CEO of Cyon. "Our programme will use a single injection of LGT-209 as a novel method for clearance of endotoxin and other bacterial toxins. To potentially enrich patient selection, Cyon's trial will also evaluate several innovative predictive biomarkers for response to the anti-PCSK9 antibody. Cyon will recruit patients early in the disease process to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with sepsis. We are delighted with the Novartis Agreement as this allows Cyon to access an antibody against PCSK9 which has been developed up to Phase I/II, advancing our program by a few years as we look to address this significant unmet medical need."

Cyon has advanced to date through collaborative support and competitive grants received from CDRD (Centre for Drug Research and Development), Genome BC and the NRC (National Research Council of Canada), including the Industrial Research Assistance Program. Having successfully concluded this Agreement with Novartis, Cyon is now initiating a private VC round and expects to initiate the Phase II in 1H 2017. 

For additional information on the anti-PCSK9 antibody and Cyon's upcoming Phase II clinical trial, please click the following link http://cyontherapeutics.com/about/backgrounder

About Cyon Therapeutics Inc.

Cyon Therapeutics Inc. is a privately held clinical phase biotechnology company based in Vancouver, B.C. Canada and a spin-out of the University of British Columbia. The goal of the company is to address the unmet medical need of severe infection leading to sepsis which affects 2.2m North Americans annually. Cyon's strategy will be differentiated from all prior strategies to manage sepsis. Using the anti-PCSK9 antibody from Novartis, Cyon's approach will be to deploy a novel clearance mechanism of endotoxins, establish early treatment in emergency rooms and deploy biomarkers to increase patient selectivity and specificity; all of which will enhance the development of the anti-PCSK9 antibody as a therapeutic for severe infection and sepsis.  

More information on Cyon can be found at www.cyontherapeutics.com.

SOURCE Cyon Therapeutics Inc.