PRESS RELEASE
Lund Sweden, September 5, 2018 - Active Biotech (NASDAQ OMX NORDIC: ACTI) announced today that it regains the global development and commercialization rights to laquinimod from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Teva's decision to return the rights is based on the fact that Teva does not intend to continue the clinical development of laquinimod. As a consequence of the decision and in accordance with the license agreement, the full rights, including all data generated in the comprehensive preclinical and clinical development program that Teva has conducted since 2004, will revert to Active Biotech.
Laquinimod, an orally administered small molecule has primarily been developed as a potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington's disease (HD). The global development program that evaluated laquinimod includes three completed phase III studies in relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) and one phase II study in HD. Laquinimod showed consistent effect on both relapse related endpoints and MRI parameters in RRMS. A pronounced effect on brain atrophy was demonstrated in both RRMS and HD patients. In addition a good safety profile has been demonstrated throughout the clinical program.
"We are grateful for the good collaboration with Teva and for the broad development program that has been carried out for laquinimod. The pronounced effect of laquinimod on brain atrophy demonstrated in both RRMS and HD patients supports our belief in the potential of laquinimod as a possible treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, a disease area where the medical need remains high. Therefore, we will assess all opportunities for a continuation of the development of laquinimod" said Helén Tuvesson, CEO of Active Biotech.
About laquinimod
Laquinimod is a once-daily oral, investigational, selective aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activator targeting neurodegeneration and inflammation with a novel mechanism of action. Laquinimod has primarily been developed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington disease (HD) but clinical studies have also been conducted in Crohn's disease and Lupus. The global development program that evaluated laquinimod includes three completed phase III studies in relapsing remitting MS; the ALLEGRO, BRAVO and CONCERTO studies, as well as the phase II study ARPEGGIO in primary progressive MS. In the phase II study LEGATO-HD, laquinimod was studied in the rare neurodegenerative disease Huntington's disease, a disease in which laquinimod has been granted orphan drug status in US.
Lund, September 5, 2018
Active Biotech AB (publ)
Helén Tuvesson
President and CEO
For further information, please contact:
Hans Kolam, CFO
Tel +46 46 19 20 44
Helén Tuvesson, CEO
Tel +46 46 19 21 56
Active Biotech AB (publ) (NASDAQ Stockholm: ACTI) is a biotechnology company with focus on neurodegenerative/inflammatory diseases and cancer. Laquinimod, an orally administered small molecule with unique immunomodulatory properties in development for neurodegenerative diseases. ANYARA, an immunotherapy, in development for cancer indications in partnership with NeoTX Therapeutics Ltd. Furthermore, commercial activities are conducted for the tasquinimod, paquinimod and SILC projects. Please visit http://www.activebiotech.com/en (http://www.activebiotech.com/en) for more information.
Active Biotech AB
(Corp. Reg. No. 556223-9227)
Box 724, SE-220 07 Lund, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)46 19 20 00
Active Biotech is obligated to make public the information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This information was provided to the media, through the agency of the contact person set out above, for publication on September 5, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. CET.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Active Biotech via Globenewswire
