CAMBRIDGE, UK I October 29, 2013 I Convergence Pharmaceuticals Limited (“Convergence”), the world leading company in ion channel drug discovery and development today announces the addition of a novel sodium channel (Nav) blocker, CNV1061436, to its pipeline of ion channel based drugs. CNV1061436 is now ready for immediate evaluation in Phase I clinical studies for the treatment of CNS disorders.
CNV1061436 is a highly potent, state-dependent blocker of Nav channels, showing excellent selectivity over the cardiac channel Nav1.5. Furthermore CNV1061436 has an excellent selectivity profile across a range of targets. The compound has already demonstrated preclinical effectiveness in a range of clinically relevant epilepsy models, with an improved therapeutic index over the currently available anti-convulsant drugs. This attractive pre-clinical profile strongly supports development of CNV1061436 as a treatment for CNS disorders including epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
CNV1061436 has the potential to be a once a day, oral medicine that is predicted to overcome many of the issues currently encountered with CNS drugs. Unlike many of these medicines, there should be no requirement for dose titration, allowing the patient take the fully effective therapeutic dose immediately. The Company not only expects CNV1061436 to be very well tolerated, but also to have no clinically relevant drug-drug interactions, a major issue with current CNS drugs.
Due to the potential of CNV1061436 in the treatment of a broader range of CNS disorders, it is Convergence’s intention to partner this novel Nav blocker and remain focused on progressing an exciting pipeline of pain assets. CNV1014802 and CNV2197944*, Nav1.7 and Cav2.2 selective assets, remain on track and are fully funded through to their next clinical phases, for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and chronic neuropathic pain, respectively. Convergence expects to report data from the TN trial with CNV1014802 and the postherpetic neuralgia Phase II study with CNV2197944, in the first half of 2014.
Clive Dix, Chief Executive Officer of Convergence Pharmaceuticals, commented:
“We are pleased to add this novel sodium channel blocker, CNV1061436, to the portfolio. The new programme expands our pipeline and strengthens our position as the leading sodium channel discovery and development organization. This new compound has an exceptional profile and is now Phase I ready. However, we will remain focused on our chronic pain portfolio at Convergence and will actively look for licensing partners who are able to fully exploit its potential in the CNS arena.
Our pain pipeline is progressing well and according to plan. We look forward to reporting Phase II data in CNV1014802 and CNV2197944* in the first half of 2014.”
*under contract to Calchan Ltd
About the pain therapeutic area
The pain therapeutic area encompasses any disease where pain is a major symptom. The unmet medical need for patients in pain is enormous, with the greatest need being for a more effective therapy that is well tolerated and safe over a long period of time. Within the pain marketplace, current pain treatments are unsatisfactory; overall efficacy is poor (typically 1-2 point reductions on a 10 point scale) and satisfactory to less than 50% of patients. Whilst treatments, such as opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are available on the market, many patients obtain little or no relief from these existing analgesics and often such drugs are associated with adverse events, side effects and addiction concerns. This highlights the importance of Convergence Pharmaceuticals’ goals to be a world leader in the development of novel, efficacious analgesics with improved pharmacology and safety profiles.
About Convergence Pharmaceuticals
Convergence Pharmaceuticals is an independent biotechnology company focused on the development of novel analgesics with potentially commercially attractive efficacy, responder-rate and side effect profiles. The Company, led by CEO Clive Dix, was formed in October 2010 following the acquisition of certain neuroscience clinical assets from GlaxoSmithKline (“GSK”). The Company has a pipeline of differentiated clinical-stage compounds targeting the points of convergence in chronic pain signalling through modulation of specific ion-channels.
Convergence Pharmaceuticals is well funded and raised US$35.4 million in Series A financing from a syndicate of leading European and US financial institutions. For more information please go to the Company’s website at www.convergencepharma.com
SOURCE: Convergence Pharmaceuticals
Post Views: 154
CAMBRIDGE, UK I October 29, 2013 I Convergence Pharmaceuticals Limited (“Convergence”), the world leading company in ion channel drug discovery and development today announces the addition of a novel sodium channel (Nav) blocker, CNV1061436, to its pipeline of ion channel based drugs. CNV1061436 is now ready for immediate evaluation in Phase I clinical studies for the treatment of CNS disorders.
CNV1061436 is a highly potent, state-dependent blocker of Nav channels, showing excellent selectivity over the cardiac channel Nav1.5. Furthermore CNV1061436 has an excellent selectivity profile across a range of targets. The compound has already demonstrated preclinical effectiveness in a range of clinically relevant epilepsy models, with an improved therapeutic index over the currently available anti-convulsant drugs. This attractive pre-clinical profile strongly supports development of CNV1061436 as a treatment for CNS disorders including epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
CNV1061436 has the potential to be a once a day, oral medicine that is predicted to overcome many of the issues currently encountered with CNS drugs. Unlike many of these medicines, there should be no requirement for dose titration, allowing the patient take the fully effective therapeutic dose immediately. The Company not only expects CNV1061436 to be very well tolerated, but also to have no clinically relevant drug-drug interactions, a major issue with current CNS drugs.
Due to the potential of CNV1061436 in the treatment of a broader range of CNS disorders, it is Convergence’s intention to partner this novel Nav blocker and remain focused on progressing an exciting pipeline of pain assets. CNV1014802 and CNV2197944*, Nav1.7 and Cav2.2 selective assets, remain on track and are fully funded through to their next clinical phases, for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and chronic neuropathic pain, respectively. Convergence expects to report data from the TN trial with CNV1014802 and the postherpetic neuralgia Phase II study with CNV2197944, in the first half of 2014.
Clive Dix, Chief Executive Officer of Convergence Pharmaceuticals, commented:
“We are pleased to add this novel sodium channel blocker, CNV1061436, to the portfolio. The new programme expands our pipeline and strengthens our position as the leading sodium channel discovery and development organization. This new compound has an exceptional profile and is now Phase I ready. However, we will remain focused on our chronic pain portfolio at Convergence and will actively look for licensing partners who are able to fully exploit its potential in the CNS arena.
Our pain pipeline is progressing well and according to plan. We look forward to reporting Phase II data in CNV1014802 and CNV2197944* in the first half of 2014.”
*under contract to Calchan Ltd
About the pain therapeutic area
The pain therapeutic area encompasses any disease where pain is a major symptom. The unmet medical need for patients in pain is enormous, with the greatest need being for a more effective therapy that is well tolerated and safe over a long period of time. Within the pain marketplace, current pain treatments are unsatisfactory; overall efficacy is poor (typically 1-2 point reductions on a 10 point scale) and satisfactory to less than 50% of patients. Whilst treatments, such as opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are available on the market, many patients obtain little or no relief from these existing analgesics and often such drugs are associated with adverse events, side effects and addiction concerns. This highlights the importance of Convergence Pharmaceuticals’ goals to be a world leader in the development of novel, efficacious analgesics with improved pharmacology and safety profiles.
About Convergence Pharmaceuticals
Convergence Pharmaceuticals is an independent biotechnology company focused on the development of novel analgesics with potentially commercially attractive efficacy, responder-rate and side effect profiles. The Company, led by CEO Clive Dix, was formed in October 2010 following the acquisition of certain neuroscience clinical assets from GlaxoSmithKline (“GSK”). The Company has a pipeline of differentiated clinical-stage compounds targeting the points of convergence in chronic pain signalling through modulation of specific ion-channels.
Convergence Pharmaceuticals is well funded and raised US$35.4 million in Series A financing from a syndicate of leading European and US financial institutions. For more information please go to the Company’s website at www.convergencepharma.com
SOURCE: Convergence Pharmaceuticals
Post Views: 154
