Contacts:
Susan B. Washer
CEO
AGTC Inc.
(386) 462-2204 ext 208
swasher@agtc.com.
Richard D. Katz, M.D.
EVP, Finance and Corporate Development;
Chief Financial Officer
Icagen, Inc.
(919) 941-5206
rkatz@icagen.com
AGTC AND ICAGEN ANNOUNCE
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AGREEMENT
ALACHUA, FLORIDA AND RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, June 24, 2010 – AGTC, a privately held company, and Icagen, Inc. (NASDAQ: ICGN) today announced the completion of an agreement for the purchase and sale of certain patent rights between the companies. Icagen is transferring its rights to patents relating to the ion channel gene CNGB3, which has been linked to certain disorders of the eye. Under the terms of the agreement, Icagen has assigned ownership of the patents to AGTC, which intends to use the patented technology for gene therapy as a potential treatment for Achromatopisia, a severe form of daytime blindness. Icagen has retained an exclusive license for small molecule therapeutics targeting this gene. Pursuant to the transaction, AGTC will make a $1.0 million payment to Icagen.
"AGTC has an ongoing commitment to development of products in the field of ophthalmology,” stated Sue Washer, President and CEO of AGTC. “Securing this important set of patent rights puts the Company in an excellent position to move a treatment for Achromatopsia to the clinic.”
About
Achromatopsia
Achromatopsia is an inherited condition that presents at birth with impaired visual acuity, lack of color discrimination and extreme light sensitivity resulting in daytime blindness. There is no specific treatment for Achromatopsia, although deep red tinted spectacles or contact lenses can reduce symptoms of light sensitivity. Approximately 22,000 patients in the US and Europe suffer from this disease. Previous research has shown promising signs of efficacy in dog models of Achromatopsia.
About AGTC
AGTC is a clinical stage company developing novel therapeutics for patients with unmet medical needs utilizing its’s proprietary, non-pathogenic adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery system. AGTC has demonstrated that this system can be used to deliver a normal form of a gene in both animals and humans, thus allowing their own body to produce sustained therapeutic levels of important biologics. AGTC’s most advanced programs are treatments for Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a disease causing a progressive loss of lung function, and Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis, an inherited condition causing early blindness; both are in Phase II Human Clinical Trials. Both utilize AGTC’s proprietary AAV system and production methods. AGTC has licensed a significant portion of its intellectual property from the University of Florida where researchers originated this ground-breaking work and has received significant financing from some of the world’s leading venture capital firms: InterWest Partners, Intersouth Partners and MedImmune Ventures. For more information see www.agtc.com.
About Icagen
Icagen,
Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company based in Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina, focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel
orally-administered small molecule drugs that modulate ion channel targets.
Utilizing its proprietary know-how and integrated scientific and drug
development capabilities, Icagen has identified multiple drug candidates that
modulate ion channels. Icagen is conducting research and development activities
in a number of disease areas, including epilepsy, pain and inflammation. Icagen
has a clinical stage program in epilepsy and pain.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of
risks and uncertainties. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that
are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking
statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes,"
"anticipates," "plans," "expects,"
"intends," and similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the expectations described in these forward-looking
statements are set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in Icagen’s
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2010.
These risk factors include risks as to Icagen’s lack of liquidity and
substantial doubt about Icagen’s ability to continue as a "going
concern;" Icagen’s ability to raise additional funding; Icagen's history
of net losses and how long Icagen will be able to operate on its existing
capital resources; general economic and financial market conditions; Icagen's ability to maintain compliance with
NASDAQ's continued listing requirements; whether Icagen's product candidates
will advance in the clinical trials process; the timing of such clinical
trials; whether the results obtained in preliminary studies will be indicative
of results obtained in clinical trials; whether the clinical trial results will
warrant continued product development; whether and when, if at all, Icagen's
product candidates, including ICA-105665 and Icagen's other lead compounds for
epilepsy and pain, will receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration or equivalent regulatory agencies, and for which indications,
and if such product candidates receive approval, whether such products will be
successfully marketed; and Icagen's dependence on third parties, including
manufacturers, suppliers and collaborators. Icagen disclaims any intention or
obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments
occurring after the date of this press release.
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