December 7, 2015 / Cypralis, a life sciences company focussed on the discovery of therapeutics for the modulation of peptidyl-prolyl isomerases (PPIases), has entered into a collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. The collaboration, facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, aims to develop new cyclophilin inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases. The terms were not disclosed.

Cyclophilin inhibitors on the market or in development are non-selective between the four commonly screened cyclophilin isoforms A, B, C and D. Cypralis and Janssen are undertaking a joint research program to generate a new class of CNS penetrant, selective inhibitors of cyclophilin D applicable to targeting degenerative diseases including CNS degeneration. The medicinal chemistry and PPIase screening will be sub-contracted to Selcia Limited.

Simon Kerr, CEO of Cypralis commented: ‘We are delighted to be collaborating with Janssen in order to develop a novel class of cyclophilin D inhibitors. We are hopeful that this effort will pave the way towards a new approach to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.’

ENDS

About Cypralis

Cypralis was spun out from Selcia Limited (Ongar, Essex) in 2013 to exploit its extensive expertise and know-how in targeting peptidyl-prolyl isomerases (known as PPIases), a large family of druggable protein targets involved in many acute and chronic diseases. Cypralis is dedicated to the discovery and development of highly innovative therapeutics through inhibition of PPIases and expects to build upon its existing intellectual property estate through its own R&D activities and also through risk-sharing collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. For further information visit www.cypralis.com

Cyclophilins are a family of enzymes that assist in the folding and transportation of other proteins synthesized within a cell and play key roles in a number of important cellular functions including transcription, translation, apoptosis and kinase signaling. Cyclophilin D plays a pivotal role in controlling mitochondrial mediated programmed cell death, and Cypralis’ selective inhibitors of CypD offer potential for treatment of both acute and chronic degenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, muscular dystrophies, and pancreatic inflammation. Further, secreted cyclophilins display chemotactic and cytokine-like activity, and compounds targeting the catalytic activity of extracellular cyclophilins show promise as treatments for disease states including vasculitis, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

About Alzheimer’s disease

Approximately 850,000 people in the UK and 44 million worldwide are living with dementia, a condition caused by a group of neurodegenerative diseases of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common, where people gradually lose memory and the ability to perform daily tasks or care for themselves. The cost to the global economies is huge and is estimated to represent £24 Billion a year to the UK alone, a significant proportion of this being borne by family and friends providing informal care. Because people are living longer the numbers of people with dementia is increasing dramatically. Medicines available for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease are ‘symptomatic’ and only provide relief for a limited period of time. There remains a desperate need for ‘disease modifying’ treatments, able to slow down the underlying progression of the disease.

Media enquiries:

Andy Matthew
O2PR
andy.matthews@o2pr.co.u
Tel: +44 (0)7967 153753

All other enquiries:

Simon Kerr
CEO, Cypralis
contact@cypralis.co
Tel: +44 (0)1277 367000