On July 28, 2021 Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ: CGEN), a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company and a leader in predictive target discovery, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 (Press release, Compugen, JUL 28, 2021, View Source [SID1234585276]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"Our continued execution in the clinic, which includes the recent initiation of three clinical studies, further strengthens Compugen’s leadership position in the DNAM axis space," said Anat Cohen-Dayag, Ph.D., President and CEO of Compugen. "These new studies expand our comprehensive evaluation of the DNAM axis and leave us uniquely positioned as the only company, in a clinical setting, evaluating anti-PVRIG, anti-TIGIT and anti-PD-1 combinations, which is our key differentiator in the TIGIT space. We expect the remainder of the year to include data readouts from our triple combination study in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb and COM902 monotherapy study, which we expect to expand the foundation of our clinical data generated to date."

Dr. Cohen-Dayag continued, "The updated data from our COM701 Phase 1 combination and monotherapy studies presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) support our continued excitement in our science and potential benefit it may bring to patients, showing durable responses and disease control in patients not eligible for or typically not responding to checkpoint inhibitors including those with prior progression. In addition, we shared our first preliminary pharmacodynamic biomarker data indicating that treatment with COM701 leads to immune activation and has the potential to drive anti-tumor activity in non-inflamed tumors as evidenced by activity in selected PD-L1 low, PVRL2 positive patients. Our combination strategy around our wholly owned assets targeting PVRIG and TIGIT give us a strong first mover advantage, and we look forward to continued progress through 2021 as we work to elucidate the potential of the DNAM axis pathways in immunotherapy."

Recent and Second Quarter 2021 Corporate Highlights

Presented updated data from the COM701 monotherapy and combination with Opdivo (nivolumab) studies at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2021 Annual Meeting including:
– Durable responses beyond one year, including one complete response, in tumor types typically unresponsive to checkpoint inhibitors
– Preliminary biomarker data reveal immune activation evidenced by a trend of increased proliferation of peripheral immune cells and IFNγ. IFNγ increased with increasing doses of COM701, suggesting the observed activity is likely derived from the combination treatment and not Opdivo alone
– Preliminary anti-tumor activity in PD-L1 low, PVRL2 positive patients, with non-inflamed tumor microenvironment/immune desert phenotype
Dosed the first patient in the Phase 1b cohort expansion study of COM701 in combination with Opdivo in patients with ovarian, breast, endometrial and microsatellite-stable colorectal cancers
Dosed the first patient in the Phase 1 dual combination study of COM902 and COM701 in patients with advanced malignancies, the first clinical study of dual blockade of TIGIT and PVRIG independent of anti-PD-1
Dosed the first patient in the Phase 1/2 triple combination cohort expansion of COM701 with Opdivo and Bristol Myers Squibb’s anti-TIGIT antibody, BMS-986207
Presented research at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) Targets for Cancer Immunotherapy: A Deep Dive Seminar Series, supporting PVRIG as a novel and differentiated checkpoint in the DNAM axis
Financial Results

R&D expenses for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021, were $6.8 million compared with $4.4 million for the comparable period in 2020. The increase in R&D expenses reflects the strong execution and expansion of the Phase 1 clinical programs.

General and administrative expenses for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021, were $2.7 million compared with $2.1 million for the comparable period in 2020. The increase in expenses is attributed mainly to corporate related expenses.

Net loss for the second quarter of 2021 was $9.5 million, or $0.11 per basic and diluted share, compared with a net loss of $6.2 million, or $0.08 per basic and diluted share, in the comparable period of 2020.

As of June 30, 2021, cash, cash related accounts, short-term and long-term bank deposits totaled approximately $111 million, compared with approximately $124 million on December 31, 2020. The Company has no debt.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

The Company will hold a conference call today, July 28, 2021, at 8:30 AM ET to review its second quarter 2021 results. To access the live conference call by telephone, please dial 1-866-744-5399 from the U.S., or +972-3-918-0644 internationally. The call will also be available via live webcast through Compugen’s website, located at the following link. Following the live audio webcast, a replay will be available on the Company’s website.

On July 28, 2021 UroGen Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: URGN), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to building and commercializing novel solutions that treat specialty cancers and urologic diseases, and Neopharm group ("Neopharm"), reported an exclusive license for Neopharm to market and sell Jelmyto (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution in Israel, subject to regulatory approval (Press release, UroGen Pharma, JUL 28, 2021, View Source [SID1234585293]). Jelmyto is the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved medicine for adult patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (LG-UTUC).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Neopharm will lead the regulatory process in Israel, which is supported by the results from the Phase 3 OLYMPUS trial that showed Jelmyto achieved clinically significant disease eradication in adults with LG-UTUC.

"We are excited to work with Neopharm and take the first step in making Jelmyto available to patients in Israel," said Liz Barrett, President and Chief Executive Officer of UroGen. "As we begin the process of geographic expansion for Jelmyto, it was important for us to prioritize Israel as the first opportunity to bring this innovative treatment to patients outside of the United States. Beyond the fact that our company was founded in Israel, and we continue to have a significant presence there, physicians and patients in Israel played a key role in the pivotal study that supported Jelmyto’s approval in the United States."

Jelmyto, which received expedited approval in the United States in April 2020, is an innovative therapy utilizing UroGen’s proprietary sustained release RTGel technology in combination with mitomycin, an established chemotherapy that inhibits DNA synthesis. It has been designed to dwell in the cavity, enabling mitomycin to have longer exposure to and broader coverage of urinary tract tissue, thereby allowing the treatment of tumors by non-surgical means.

"We look forward to working with UroGen to move Jelmyto through the regulatory process in Israel and to make this novel, non-surgical treatment available to appropriate patients as quickly as possible," said Efi Shnaidman, general manager of Neopharm Israel. "We are proud to be the first company outside the US to have started the regulatory approval and commercialization process for Jelmyto, demonstrating Israel’s importance in geographic expansion. Moreover, it is exciting to work with another company who has deep roots in Israel. I am confident that our well-established expertise and heritage of collaboration with innovative biopharmaceutical companies will make Jelmyto a success in Israel."

In addition to Israel, UroGen continues to work with regulators and potential collaborators in key markets to explore opportunities for geographic expansion. UroGen is committed to bringing the promise of Jelmyto to as many patients as possible, as quickly as feasible.

About Jelmyto

Jelmyto (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution, is a drug formulation of mitomycin indicated for the treatment of adult patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (LG-UTUC). Utilizing the RTGel technology platform, UroGen’s proprietary sustained release, hydrogel-based formulation, Jelmyto is designed to enable longer exposure of urinary tract tissue to mitomycin, thereby enabling the treatment of tumors by non-surgical means. Jelmyto is delivered to patients using standard ureteral catheters or nephrostomy tube. The U.S. FDA previously granted Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Breakthrough Therapy Designations to Jelmyto for the treatment of LG-UTUC. On April 15, 2020, the FDA approved Jelmyto, making it the first drug approved for the treatment of LG-UTUC in adult patients.

APPROVED USE FOR JELMYTO

JELMYTO is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer of the lining of the upper urinary tract including the kidney called low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (LG-UTUC).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You should not receive JELMYTO if you have a hole or tear (perforation) of your bladder or upper urinary tract.

Before receiving JELMYTO, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. JELMYTO can harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO.
Females who are able to become pregnant: You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 6 months after the last dose.
Males being treated with JELMYTO: If you have a female partner who is able to become pregnant, you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 3 months after the last dose.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if JELMYTO passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with JELMYTO and for 1 week after the last dose.
Tell your healthcare provider if you take water pills (diuretic).
How will I receive JELMYTO?

Your healthcare provider will tell you to take a medicine called sodium bicarbonate before each JELMYTO treatment.
You will receive your JELMYTO dose from your healthcare provider 1 time a week for 6 weeks. It is important that you receive all 6 doses of JELMYTO according to your healthcare provider’s instructions. If you miss any appointments, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment. Your healthcare provider may recommend up to an additional 11 monthly doses.
JELMYTO is given to your kidney through a tube called a catheter.
During treatment with JELMYTO, your healthcare provider may tell you to take additional medicines or change how you take your current medicines.
After receiving JELMYTO:

JELMYTO may cause your urine color to change to a violet to blue color. Avoid contact between your skin and urine for at least 6 hours.
To urinate, males and females should sit on a toilet and flush the toilet several times after you use it. After going to the bathroom, wash your hands, your inner thighs, and genital area well with soap and water.
Clothing that comes in contact with urine should be washed right away and washed separately from other clothing.
JELMYTO may cause serious side effects, including:

Swelling and narrowing of the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureteric obstruction). If you develop swelling and narrowing, and to protect your kidney from damage, your healthcare provider may recommend the placement of a small plastic tube (stent) in the ureter to help the kidney drain. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop side pain or fever during treatment with JELMYTO.
Bone marrow problems. JELMYTO can affect your bone marrow and can cause a decrease in your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests prior to each treatment to check your blood cell counts during treatment with JELMYTO. Your healthcare provider may need to temporarily or permanently stop JELMYTO if you develop bone marrow problems during treatment with JELMYTO.
The most common side effects of JELMYTO include: urinary tract infection, blood in your urine, side pain, nausea, trouble with urination, kidney problems, vomiting, tiredness, stomach (abdomen) pain.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1‑800‑FDA‑1088. You may also report side effects to UroGen Pharma at 1-855-987-6436.

Please see JELMYTO Full Prescribing Information, including the Patient Information, for additional information.

About Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (UTUC)

Urothelial cancer is the ninth most common cancer globally and the eighth most lethal neoplasm in men in the U.S. Between five percent and ten percent of primary urothelial cancers originate in the ureter or renal pelvis and are collectively referred to as upper tract urothelial cancers (UTUC). In the U.S., there are approximately 6,000 – 7,000 new or recurrent low-grade UTUC patients annually. Most cases are diagnosed in patients over 70 years old, and these older patients often face comorbidities. There are limited treatment options for UTUC, with the most common being endoscopic surgery or nephroureterectomy (removal of the entire kidney and ureter). These treatments can lead to a high rate of recurrence and relapse.

On July 28, 2021 Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ: QTRX), a company digitizing biomarker analysis to advance the science of precision health, reported that it will release its financial results for second quarter 2021 after the close of trading on Aug. 5, 2021 (Press release, Quanterix, JUL 28, 2021, View Source [SID1234585310]). Company management will host a conference call at 4:30pm ET to discuss Quanterix’ financial results and provide a business update. The call will be hosted by Kevin Hrusovsky, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Quanterix.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Individuals interested in listening to the conference call may do so by dialing 833-686-9351 for domestic callers, or 612-979-9890 for international callers. Please reference the following conference ID: 2299526. A live webcast will also be available at: View Source The webcast will be available on the Company’s website, View Source, for one year following completion of the call.

To access the live webcast of Quanterix’ presentations, please visit the News & Events page within the Investors section of the Quanterix website at www.quanterix.com.

On July 28, 2021 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, reported its financial results for the second quarter ended July 3, 2021 (Press release, Thermo Fisher Scientific, JUL 28, 2021, View Source [SID1234585327]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Second Quarter 2021 Highlights

Second quarter revenue increased 34% to $9.27 billion.
Second quarter GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) increased 59% to $4.61.
Second quarter adjusted EPS increased 44% to $5.60.
Launched a range of new products including the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap IQ-X Tribrid Mass Spectrometer to advance complex small molecule research, and the Thermo Scientific Helios 5EXL Wafer DualBeam scanning electron microscope to support the development of increasingly smaller and more complex semiconductors. To advance cell analysis research, the Invitrogen Bigfoot Spectral Sorter and the Invitrogen Attune CytPix Flow Cytometer were also launched in the quarter.
Announced collaborations with leading academic medical centers including the Mayo Clinic to accelerate the development and adoption of more precise and personalized diagnostics for blood-based cancers; a new clinical and commercial cGMP cell therapy manufacturing facility at University of California, San Francisco, to advance innovation in cell and gene therapy; and at the University of California, Davis, a research collaboration to support the rapid scale-up of large cohort studies and clinical research in metabolomics.
Continued to expand both our capacity and capabilities to better serve our customers. In the quarter, we brought additional capacity online to support vaccine and therapy production globally and expanded the production of laboratory plastics in North America and Europe. Shortly after the quarter closed, we opened a new plasmid DNA facility in Carlsbad, California to meet rapidly growing demand for plasmid DNA-based therapies and mRNA-based vaccines.
Building on our environmental sustainability initiatives, we committed to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Adjusted EPS, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures that exclude certain items detailed later in this press release under the heading "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

"Our team delivered an incredibly strong second quarter, building on our excellent start to the year. The strength of our base business reflects our proven growth strategy, and we continue to enable the societal response to the pandemic, which allowed us to deliver exceptional performance in revenue, earnings and free cash flow for the quarter," said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We extended our leading innovation track record, and our ongoing investments in talent, capabilities and infrastructure are positioning our company for an even brighter future."

Casper added, "We’re in a great position at the halfway point of the year and on track to deliver an outstanding 2021."

Second Quarter 2021

Revenue for the quarter grew 34% to $9.27 billion in 2021, versus $6.92 billion in 2020. Organic revenue growth was 28%; acquisitions increased revenue by 2% and currency translation increased revenue by 5%1. Organic revenue growth from the base business was 27%. COVID-19 response revenue was $1.9 billion.

GAAP Earnings Results

GAAP diluted EPS in the second quarter of 2021 increased 59% to $4.61, versus $2.90 in the same quarter last year. GAAP operating income for the second quarter of 2021 was $2.16 billion, compared with $1.39 billion in the year-ago quarter. GAAP operating margin was 23.3%, compared with 20.1% in the second quarter of 2020.

Non-GAAP Earnings Results

Adjusted EPS in the second quarter of 2021 increased 44% to $5.60, versus $3.89 in the second quarter of 2020. Adjusted operating income for the second quarter of 2021 grew 44% compared with the year-ago quarter. Adjusted operating margin was 29.0%, compared with 27.0% in the second quarter of 2020.

2021 Guidance Update

Thermo Fisher is raising its 2021 revenue and earnings guidance. The company is raising its revenue guidance by $300 million to $35.90 billion; this would result in 11% revenue growth over 2020. The company is raising its adjusted EPS guidance by $0.10 to $22.07, which would represent 13% growth year over year.

Segment Results

Management uses adjusted operating results to monitor and evaluate performance of the company’s four business segments, as highlighted below. Since these results are used for this purpose, they are also considered to be prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Life Sciences Solutions Segment

Life Sciences Solutions Segment revenue grew 37% to $3.56 billion in the second quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $2.60 billion in the second quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 48.3%, versus 47.4% in the 2020 quarter.

Analytical Instruments Segment

Analytical Instruments Segment revenue grew 41% to $1.48 billion in the second quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $1.05 billion in the second quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 18.9%, versus 12.9% in the 2020 quarter.

Specialty Diagnostics Segment

Specialty Diagnostics Segment revenue grew 25% to $1.24 billion in the second quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $0.99 billion in the second quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 19.9%, versus 21.6% in the 2020 quarter.

Laboratory Products and Services Segment

Laboratory Products and Services Segment revenue grew 29% to $3.58 billion in the second quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $2.79 billion in the second quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 12.4%, versus 10.1% in the 2020 quarter.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the financial measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted EPS, adjusted operating income and adjusted operating margin, which exclude certain acquisition-related costs, including charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition and significant transaction costs; restructuring and other costs/income; and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. Adjusted EPS also excludes certain other gains and losses that are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability, tax provisions/benefits related to the previous items, and the impact of significant tax audits or events. We exclude the above items because they are outside of our normal operations and/or, in certain cases, are difficult to forecast accurately for future periods. We also use a non-GAAP measure, free cash flow, which is operating cash flow, excluding net capital expenditures to provide a view of the continuing operations’ ability to generate cash for use in acquisitions and other investing and financing activities. We believe that the use of non-GAAP measures helps investors to gain a better understanding of our core operating results and future prospects, consistent with how management measures and forecasts the company’s performance, especially when comparing such results to previous periods or forecasts.

For example:

We exclude costs and tax effects associated with restructuring activities, such as reducing overhead and consolidating facilities. We believe that the costs related to these restructuring activities are not indicative of our normal operating costs.

We exclude certain acquisition-related costs, including charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition and significant transaction costs. We exclude these costs because we do not believe they are indicative of our normal operating costs.

We exclude the expense and tax effects associated with the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets because a significant portion of the purchase price for acquisitions may be allocated to intangible assets that have lives of up to 20 years. Based on acquisitions closed through the end of the second quarter of 2021, adjusted EPS will exclude approximately $3.40 of expense for the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. Exclusion of the amortization expense allows comparisons of operating results that are consistent over time for both our newly acquired and long-held businesses and with both acquisitive and non-acquisitive peer companies.

We also exclude certain gains/losses and related tax effects, the impact of significant tax audits or events (such as changes in deferred taxes from enacted tax rate changes), which are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability and that we believe are not indicative of our normal operating gains and losses. For example, we exclude gains/losses from items such as the sale of a business or real estate, gains or losses on significant litigation-related matters, gains on curtailments of pension plans and the early retirement of debt.

We also report free cash flow, which is operating cash flow, excluding net capital expenditures to provide a view of the continuing operations’ ability to generate cash for use in acquisitions and other investing and financing activities.

Thermo Fisher Scientific’s management uses these non-GAAP measures, in addition to GAAP financial measures, as the basis for measuring the company’s core operating performance and comparing such performance to that of prior periods and to the performance of our competitors. Such measures are also used by management in their financial and operating decision-making and for compensation purposes.

The non-GAAP financial measures of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s results of operations and cash flows included in this press release are not meant to be considered superior to or a substitute for Thermo Fisher Scientific’s results of operations prepared in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of such non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are set forth in the accompanying tables. Thermo Fisher Scientific does not provide GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort items such as the timing and amount of future restructuring actions and acquisition-related charges as well as gains or losses from sales of real estate and businesses, the early retirement of debt and the outcome of legal proceedings. The timing and amount of these items are uncertain and could be material to Thermo Fisher Scientific’s results computed in accordance with GAAP.

Conference Call

Thermo Fisher Scientific will hold its earnings conference call today, July 28, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. To listen, dial (833) 714-0931 within the U.S. or (778) 560-2662 outside the U.S. The conference ID is 6292118. You may also listen to the call live on our website, www.thermofisher.com, by clicking on "Investors." You will find this press release, including the accompanying reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures and related information, in that section of our website under "Financial Results." An audio archive of the call will be available under "Webcasts and Presentations" through Friday, August 13, 2021.

On July 28, 2021 Complix, a biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of transformative Alphabody therapeutics, reported that it has signed a global collaboration and license agreement with Jiangsu Nhwa Pharmaceutical Co., one of China’s leading CNS companies, to develop Cell Penetrating Alphabodies (CPABs) able to cross the blood brain barrier, for the improved treatment of diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) (Press release, Complix, JUL 28, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=complix-signs-global-drug-discovery-and-development-agreement-with-jiangsu-nhwa-pharmaceutical-co-to-develop-novel-alphabody-therapeutics-for-treatment-of-cns-diseases [SID1234585443]). This agreement is an important corporate milestone for Complix, as it seeks to apply its industry leading CPAB platform in yet another major disease area, beyond oncology, autoimmunity, and viral diseases.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Jiangsu Nhwa Pharmaceutical Co. (Nhwa) is a leading CNS company in China, which has developed an innovative and differentiated pipeline in the areas of anesthesia, analgesia, psychiatry, and neurology via both its own in-house R&D and global partnerships. Nhwa has more than 4000 employees, with capabilities in research, clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization of CNS drugs.

Complix and Nhwa will collaborate to develop novel biotherapeutics against two selected CNS targets. Complix will apply its proprietary CPAB technology, that enables biologics to traverse membrane systems and act with high affinity and precision on disease targets that are considered intractable by current drug formats. The novel compounds to be developed under this collaboration, will be designed to cross the blood brain barrier to address important disease targets in the central nervous system.

Under the terms of the agreement, Complix has granted an exclusive license to Nhwa to develop, manufacture and commercialize the CPABs resulting from this collaboration in Greater China. Both companies retain joint development and commercialization rights for these CPABs in the rest of the world.

Complix is entitled to upfront license payments and further milestone payments subject to the progress of clinical development and regulatory approval. Complix is also eligible for royalty payments based on the future commercial sales of the CPABs in China.

Mark Vaeck, CEO of Complix, said:
"We are thrilled to announce this exciting collaboration with Nhwa. We are confident that the unique targeting capabilities of our CPABs will allow us to jointly develop novel biotherapeutics that will deliver improved treatment outcomes for patients suffering from severe neurological diseases. We believe that partnering with an innovative company like Nhwa, specialized in the area of CNS diseases, is substantially value creating, as it provides access to significant research and clinical development expertise in the CNS area, as well as a strong commercial platform in China. I am confident that together we can deliver on our ambitions to develop innovative and highly needed solutions for patients with severe neurological conditions".

Jiaquan Sun, CEO of Jiangsu Nhwa added:
"We are pleased to collaborate with Complix to gain access to its highly innovative CPAB platform as we look to further strengthen our position as a market leader in CNS therapies in China. We are looking forward to working with the team at Complix as we tap into their world leading intracellular targeting expertise to generate novel therapeutics that can cross the blood brain barrier to address major unmet medical needs that still exist in the CNS disease area today’’.