UHN Drug Discovery licensed to APEIRON Biologics to be developed by GlaxoSmithKline

Toronto, June 13th, 2010 - In a previously announced deal APEIRON Biologics AG (Apeiron) has entered into a licensing arrangement granting GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) exclusive rights to APN01 (recombinant human Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2, rhACE2), an enzyme biotherapeutic currently in Phase 1 development for the treatment of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).  APN01 is based on technology initially discovered at UHN by Drs. Josef Penninger and Michael Crackower. UHN previously licensed this technology to Apeiron, a company founded by Dr. Penninger. Under the terms of the UHN agreement, UHN receives development milestone payments and a royalty on net sales. 

Commenting on the agreement and the role of UHN, specifically its Technology Development and Commercialization (TDC), Hans Loibner, CEO of Apeiron stated, “We are very pleased that the UHN -TDC office was able to work with us in a creative and efficient manner that has greatly facilitated our closing a licensing deal with GSK.”

Josef Penninger, Apeiron’s Scientific Founder added, “The UHN - TDC office recognized the potential of this technology and worked with us from the earliest days, prior to the founding of Apeiron, to protect intellectual property and subsequently enter into a licensing arrangement that has enabled the development of a potentially life-saving therapy.”

Dr. Christopher Paige, VP Research at UHN also added, “One of the principal reasons that we license early stage technologies to start-up companies is to give them a chance to be developed into new drugs for future patient benefit.  The APN01 story is an excellent example of this research translation into product in action.”

About University Health Network:
University Health Network is comprised of the Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret Hospitals. The scope of research and complexity of cases at University Health Network has made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in cardiology, transplantation, infectious diseases, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, and genomic medicine. University Health Network is a research and teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.

About Apeiron:

Apeiron Biologics AG is a privately financed biotech company in Vienna, Austria, founded by Josef Penninger, Director of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA). As its main project Apeiron has developed recombinant human Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (rhACE2; project name: APN01) as biotherapeutic up to Phase I clinical trials. Target indications for APN01 are diseases with an imbalance of the Renin Angiotensin System and insufficient natural ACE2 activity. Special focus was devoted to explore the therapeutic potential of rhACE2 for the treatment of ARDS. In addition to its activities for APN01, Apeiron pursues two additional projects in preclinical development, also stemming from research activities of Josef Penninger.

Full press release