Neuropore Therapies Receives $20 Million (USD) Milestone Payment Under Collaboration and License Agreement with UCB

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Neuropore Therapies, Inc. announced today that it has earned a milestone payment related to its collaboration with UCB and the evaluation of UCB0599 for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. UCB0599 is an orally administered small molecule alpha-synuclein misfolding inhibitor arising from a Collaboration and License Agreement entered into between Neuropore Therapies, Inc and UCB Biopharma SRL on December 31, 2014. Neuropore will receive a $20 million (USD) milestone payment as a result of the continued clinical progress of UCB0599.

“We are pleased to see UCB0599 progress into a proof of concept study in patients with early Parkinson’s disease. We believe that inhibition of alpha-synuclein misfolding and oligomerization with an orally active, brain penetrating, small molecule represents a promising therapeutic approach. We are excited that UCB0599 is being given this opportunity to demonstrate potential therapeutic benefit in Parkinson’s disease patients,” stated Doug Bonhaus, President and CEO of Neuropore Therapies.

As announced in January 2015, Neuropore Therapies granted UCB an exclusive world-wide license to research, develop and commercialize alpha-synuclein targeting molecules in all indications. As a result of this latest milestone achievement, Neuropore Therapies has cumulatively received $63 million (USD) of the potential $460 million (USD) in total milestones available through its collaboration with UCB.

About Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. There are an estimated seven to ten million patients with PD worldwide. The age of onset is approximately 60 years. Current treatments for PD are effective at managing the early motor symptoms of the disease, mainly through the use of levodopa and dopamine agonists. As the disease progresses and dopaminergic neurons continue to be lost, these drugs eventually become less effective at treating the symptoms.

About UCB0599

UCB0599 is an orally bioavailable, brain barrier penetrant small molecule that prevents the oligomerization of alpha-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein oligomerization and aggregation is implicated in Parkinson’s disease and other degenerative diseases. By inhibiting misfolding and oligomerization of alpha-synuclein, it is believed that the progression of Parkinson’s disease can be slowed or halted. UCB0599 belongs to a series of molecules discovered by Neuropore, which were licensed to UCB in 2014. For more information on this clinical trial with UCB0599 visit https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.

About Neuropore Therapies, Inc.

Neuropore Therapies Inc. is a San Diego, California based biopharmaceutical company developing novel disease modifying small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders by targeting underlying mechanisms related to protein pathology and neuroinflammation. For more information visit www.neuropore.com.

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 7,600 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of €4.9 billion in 2019. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current information, projections and assumptions of management. Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. By their nature forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Important factors that could result in such differences include the risks and uncertainties inherent in drug discovery, development, approval and commercialization, collaborations with others, and the fact that past results of clinical trials and regulatory decisions may not be indicative of future trial results or regulatory decisions.