- Secarna's proprietary antisense oligonucleotide platform LNAplusTM to be combined with Firebrand Therapeutics' scientifically leading research into mechanisms of cancer metastasis
- Deal follows launch of third generation LNAplusTM platform in June this year
MUNICH/MARTINSRIED, GERMANY and PRINCETON, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2018 / Secarna Pharmaceuticals ("Secarna"), a new breed biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery and development of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies to address challenging or previously undruggable targets in a number of organ systems, today announced that the company has entered into a co-development agreement with Firebrand Therapeutics, Inc. ("Firebrand"), a scientifically leading research and development company focusing on cancer metastasis. The companies will leverage Secarna's LNAplusTM platform to pursue novel targets playing a key role in cancer metastasis. Firebrand will contribute its longstanding expertise in this field.
Secarna's proprietary third generation drug discovery platform LNAplusTM encompasses all aspects of drug discovery and pre-clinical development, resulting in highly specific, safe and efficacious antisense therapies for challenging or currently not druggable targets. Secarna's LNAplusTM platform and LNAplusTM based ASOs have previously been validated by in-house projects as well as in academic and industry collaborations. With over 15 development programs focusing on targets and indications such as immuno-oncology, immunology, antiviral, fibrotic diseases, ophthalmology, neurodegenerative diseases and cardiometabolic diseases where antisense-based approaches have clear benefits compared to other therapeutic modalities, Secarna is a leading antisense drug discovery and development company.
Firebrand Therapeutics' leading drug discovery and development expertise is grounded in the work of Professor Yibin Kang at Princeton University whose research focuses on understanding molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis by applying modern molecular biology, genomics, and computational biology approaches. Firebrand Therapeutics is dedicated to using different modality platforms to develop a treatment for metastatic cancers.
Jonas Renz, Managing Director and co-founder of Secarna Pharmaceuticals, commented: "This agreement is a significant milestone for Secarna as this co-development project will further validate our approach to develop highly specific, safety-optimized and efficacious antisense oligonucleotide therapies for challenging and previously undruggable targets. Antisense oligonucleotides are gaining tremendous momentum following recent drug approvals. With our third generation LNAplusTM platform, I believe we are on our way to write new chapters in the book of antisense oligonucleotide discovery and development."
Financial terms were not disclosed.
About Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG
Secarna Pharmaceuticals is the next generation antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) company with multiple innovative antisense therapies in various stages of pre-clinical development in the areas of immuno-oncology, ophthalmology, immunology, fibrotic diseases (airways, liver, kidney), and anti-viral applications. Secarna's mission is to maximize the performance and output of its proprietary LNAplusTM antisense oligonucleotide discovery platform, to develop highly specific, safe, and efficacious antisense therapies for challenging or currently not druggable targets. www.secarna.com
About Firebrand Therapeutics, Inc.
Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, USA, Firebrand Therapeutics is co-founded by Prof. Yibin Kang of Princeton University and Dr. John Jin to focus on translating most advanced cancer metastasis research conducted by Prof. Kang into innovative, first-in-class drug therapies. Firebrand Therapeutics is currently working on several programs based on different modalities and drug targets that have demonstrated critical roles in cancer metastasis.
Contact
Jonas Renz
Managing Director and Co-Founder
[email protected]
Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG
Am Klopferspitz 19
82152 Planegg/Martinsried
Tel.: +49 (0)89 215 46 375
For media enquiries:
Anne Hennecke
MC Services AG
[email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)211.52 92 52 22
SOURCE: Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG