SCARSDALE, NY — (Marketwired) — 07/20/16 — Sapience Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics to address difficult to treat oncology indications, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Columbia University to develop a first-in-class cancer treatment, which the Company refers to as ST-36. Under the terms of the agreement, Sapience will gain exclusive rights to the development and commercialization of intellectual property developed at Columbia University by Drs. Lloyd Greene and James Angelastro.
ST-36 is a protein-based therapeutic that targets a factor which activates particular genes and may play an important role in allowing certain cells to become cancerous. Once administered, ST-36 prevents the activation of these genes in tumors, resulting in tumor-specific cell death. Particular properties that make ST-36 so promising include: (1) systemic administration results in activity beyond the blood brain barrier allowing for treatment of tumors in the brain, such as glioblastoma, (2) upon entering the cell, ST-36 can translocate to the nucleus where it is needed to exert its effect, (3) the effects appear limited to cancer cells, sparing non-cancerous cells in the body, and (4) preliminary safety data indicates ST-36 to be well tolerated.
“We are pleased to have obtained an exclusive license with Columbia University to develop this promising treatment approach. ST-36 is the exact opportunity that we built Sapience to support — it is well grounded with years of scientific research and data to support its development, it provides a new mechanistic approach for the treatment of serious oncology indications, mechanistically it should synergize with current standard(s) of care, and it has the opportunity to move rapidly towards the clinic to begin impacting patients’ lives. We are proud to be working with Columbia University on this program.” said Dr. Barry Kappel, founder and chief executive officer of Sapience Therapeutics.
Jerry Kokoshka, senior associate director at Columbia Technology Ventures, stated, “Our goal at Columbia Technology Ventures is to find licensing partners who can transform technologies from our research labs into life-saving, life-enhancing therapies that will benefit human health. In working with Sapience, we have found the right partner to develop this technology, which holds great promise for the treatment of brain tumors as well as other oncology indications.”
About Columbia University
A leading academic and research university, Columbia continually seeks to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and addressing the complex global issues of our time. Columbia’s extensive public service initiatives, cultural collaborations, and community partnerships help define the University’s underlying values and mission to educate students to be both leading scholars and informed, engaged citizens. Founded in 1754 as King’s College, Columbia University in the City of New York is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. To learn more, visit www.columbia.edu.
About Columbia Technology Ventures
A leading academic and research university, Columbia University continually seeks to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and addressing the complex global issues of our time. Columbia University’s technology transfer office, Columbia Technology Ventures, manages Columbia’s intellectual property portfolio and serves as the university’s gateway for companies and entrepreneurs seeking novel technology solutions. Our core mission is to facilitate the transfer of inventions from academic research to outside organizations for the benefit of society on a local, national and global basis. For more information on Columbia Technology Ventures, please visit www.techventures.columbia.edu.
About Sapience Therapeutics
Sapience Therapeutics, Inc., is a privately held, preclinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics for major unmet medical needs, particularly high mortality cancers. Our drug development program involves translating science into novel therapies, and our initial goal is to develop a first-in-class treatment for glioblastoma (GBM), which is the most severe and deadly form of brain cancer. For more information on Sapience Therapeutics, please visit www.sapiencetherapeutics.com.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, and any statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include, among other things, statements regarding future events that involve significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on management’s current expectations, and actual results and future events may differ materially as a result of certain factors, including, without limitation, risks related to the application of the net proceeds from the offering to Sapience’s product development objectives, our ability to obtain additional funds, and meet applicable regulatory standards and receive required regulatory approvals. These are forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Sapience does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, changed assumptions or otherwise.
Contacts
Sapience Therapeutics, Inc.:
Barry Kappel
President and Chief Executive Officer
info@sapiencetherapeutics.com
Source: Sapience Therapeutics, Inc.
Released July 20, 2016
