NaturheilkundeKlinik für Innere Medizin II

WO2013093045-A2; WO2013093045-A3

Title: “Pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing disorder e.g. autoimmune disorder, hypersensitivity disorder comprises a cyclotide for use in immunosuppression, optionally carrier, excipient or diluent”

Assignee: Medical University of Vienna, University Medical Center Freiburg

Inventor(s): Gruber CW and Gruendemann C

Cyclotide technology to develop peptide therapeutics for multiple sclerosis has been licenced to Accequa

^{AB Source: © MedUni Wien}

The Medical University is pleased to announce the execution of a license agreement with the Swedish investment fund Accequa AB. Accequa acquires exclusive rights to further develop the Medical Universities’ cyclotide technology into a therapy for the prevention and treatment of auto immune diseases like multiple sclerosis. Scientific results promise that cyclotides prevent autoimmune encephalomyelitis in an EAE mouse model for multiple sclerosis. Mice that were treated with a specific cyclotide did not develop clinical symptoms of EAE.

Accequa aims to develop and commercialise a peptide formulation for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Cylotides are macrocyclic plant peptides that have been isolated from many common plant families (for instance the coffee-, cucurbit-, violet- and potato plant families, as well as legumes and grasses) and hence constitute a diverse and large group of ribosomal peptides. Cyclotides exhibit extraordinary stability and hydrophobic surface features, optimal prerequisites for a peptide agent to be orally available and active.

Joint invention of Medical University of Vienna with the University Medical Center Freiburg.

The technology was jointly developed by Christian Gruber from the Center for Physiology and Pharmacology of the Medical University of Vienna and his team, and Carsten Gründemann from the University Medical Center Freiburg. The research project was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project P24743.

The Medical University’s technology transfer office filed several patent applications for the technology and acquired  PRIZE grant from the Austrian Wirtschaftsservice (AWS) for the development of prototypes.

New Biotech company founded: Cyxone

www.cyxone.com

Cyxone was founded in 2015 to develop novel cyclotide drugs for autoimmune and other diseases. Cyxone has acquired the cyclotide patent rights developed by the Medical University of Vienna and the University Medical Center of Freiburg. Cyxone’s immediate focus is to bring the lead cyclotide drug, T20K, through a pre-clinical program required for clinical studies in multiple sclerosis. Cyxone will explore new cyclotides for treatment of other serious diseases in man.

Companies, investors and interested persons from the public sector should contact us to discuss any matters regarding Intellectual Property and Licensing:

Dr. Carsten Gründemann
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
University Center for Complementary Medicine
Breisacher Str. 115b
D-79106 Freiburg
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)761 270 83170
carsten.gruendemann@uniklinik-freiburg.de

Dr. Christiane Krcal
Medical University of Vienna
Technology Transfer Office
Spitalgasse 23
A-1090 Vienna
Austria
Phone: +43 (0)1 40160 25206
christiane.krcal@meduniwien.ac.at

Dr. Christian Gruber
Medical University of Vienna
Center for Physiology and Pharmacology
Schwarzspanierstr. 17
A-1090 Vienna
Austria
Phone: +43 (0)1 40160 1390
christian.w.gruber@meduniwien.ac.at