GHENT, BELGIUM -- 10/10/08 --
Ablynx [Euronext Brussels: ABLX],
a pioneer in the discovery and development of Nanobodies®, a novel
class of antibody-derived therapeutic proteins, announced today it
has successfully generated Nanobodies® against several GPCR
receptors. Furthermore, Ablynx will present during its R&D update in
Ghent today, its new preclinical development programme ALX-0141, a
Nanobody® against Receptor Activator for Nuclear Factor kappa B
Ligand (RANKL), an important target for bone disorders such as
osteoporosis. The Company also provided an update on the significant
progress made of its Nanobody® therapeutic pipeline and Nanobody®
technology platform.
Nanobodies® are a new class of therapeutic proteins that contain the
unique structural and functional properties of naturally-occurring
single domain antibodies. Nanobodies® have been generated against
over 100 different targets now including complex targets such as
GPCRs which are typically extremely difficult to approach with
conventional monoclonal antibodies. Nanobody® constructs have been
generated against GPCRs with picomolar activity in functional
cellular assays such as chemotaxis and cell mobility. Ablynx has
validated 25 Nanobody® programmes in relevant in vivo models.
ALX-0141 is the first single domain antibody developed by Ablynx that
specifically targets RANKL, an essential regulator of osteoclasts,
the cells involved in the breakdown of bone. ALX-0141 is now in
preclinical development and Ablynx will progress the programme
towards clinical development for osteoporosis.
"We are delighted to present our new preclinical development
programme ALX-0141 against RANKL, a key mediator of bone resorption
and look forward to advancing this programme towards the clinic. We
are also very pleased with the important discovery that we can
generate Nanobodies® against different classes of GPCRs. This opens
up new opportunities in many new disease areas", said Dr Edwin Moses,
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Ablynx. "We continue to be on
track to finalise our multi-dose Phase Ib study in patients for our
lead programme, ALX-0081 a novel anti-thrombotic, by the end of this
year and prepare for the initiation of a Phase II study. We are also
progressing well towards our goal of filing five IND equivalents by
2012."
For more information, please contact:
College Hill Life Sciences - for UK/International media enquiries:
Sue Charles, Justine Lamond, John McIntyre
t: +44 (0)20 7866 7857
f: +44 (0)20 7866 7900
e: ablynx@collegehill.com
Ablynx:
Dr Edwin Moses
Chairman and CEO
t: +32 (0)9 262 00 07
m: +44 (0)7771 954 193 / +32 (0)473 39 50 68
e: edwin.moses@ablynx.com
Complete version of the press release in English:
http://hugin.info/137912/R/1258622/275023.pdf
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