Archemix and Regado Announce License Agreement for Antidote-Controlled Aptamers

20-Nov-2003

Archemix Corp., a privately held biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of aptamer-based therapeutics, and Regado Biosciences, a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing antidote-controlled aptamer therapeutics, announced today a license from Archemix to Regado for the discovery and development of antidote-controlled aptamers. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids (RNA or DNA) that bind to specific protein targets with high affinity and specificity. The first drug from this new class of therapeutics, Eyetech's Macugen(TM), has just demonstrated high efficacy for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration in Phase III clinical trials.

Archemix is the exclusive holder of rights to the SELEX portfolio for all new therapeutic aptamers. Archemix provided Regado with an exclusive world- wide license for the discovery and development of antidote-controlled aptamers to be used for the control of fibrin deposition and platelet adhesion and aggregation. Consisting of over 160 issued patents, the SELEX portfolio is the dominant intellectual property portfolio covering the discovery and use of aptamers.

Working with researchers at Duke University, Regado has developed antidote-controlled aptamer technology, allowing the reversal of an aptamer's therapeutic activity. This technology, as described in the journal Nature (September 5, 2002, pp. 90-94) has been shown to reverse the anti-clotting activity of an aptamer in both cellular and animal models.

"This license will allow us to generate and develop new, antidote- controlled aptamers for use in the treatment and prevention of thrombosis in the hospital setting (or acute care setting)," stated Doug Gooding, Regado President and CEO. Regado expects to have one of its lead programs targeting coagulation Factor IX or Factor X in the clinic within the next 1-2 years.

According to Errol De Souza, Archemix's President and CEO, "The importance of aptamers as a new class of therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic diseases is becoming broadly appreciated. At Archemix, we have established the dominant intellectual property portfolio covering all new therapeutic aptamers." He continues, "Archemix's aptamer discovery technology in combination with Regado's antidote-controlled aptamer technology will provide physicians with powerful tools for the control drug activity in patients."

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/31945/archemix-and-regado-announce-license-agreement-for-antidote-controlled-aptamers.html