Apeiron Acquires Rights for a Phase II Biologic Against Neuroblastoma and Other Cancers from Merck KGaA

03-Feb-2011 - Austria

Vienna-based biotech company Apeiron Biologics AG strengthens its cancer immunotherapy portfolio by acquiring rights to further develop and commercialize the immunocytokine hu14.18-IL2 from Merck KGaA, Germany. This investigational antibody-based biologic has met drug development checkpoints to proceed to Phase III in certain pediatric neuroblastoma subjects in a Phase II clinical study and Apeiron plans to continue clinical development of hu14.18-IL2 in 2011. Following a first in-licensing deal closed in October 2010 (project rhSOD from Polymun), this agreement complements the company's successful program to broaden its clinical development pipeline. This project expansion was initiated as a consequence of Apeiron’s out-licensing of the Phase I project APN01 to GSK in January 2010.

Apeiron will continue the clinical development to further investigate the protein’s therapeutic potential for pediatric neuroblastoma, an indication with high unmet medical need, and will evaluate strategies to advance it in other cancer indications, e.g. melanoma.

No financial details are disclosed.

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