• Ichnos Sciences is a new bio­technology com­pany which is a spin-off of Glenmark Holding SA created to focus on inno­va­tion
• Pipeline in­cludes five novel, first-in-class clin­i­cal-stage assets in on­col­ogy, auto­immune dis­ease and pain
• Company assets in­clude: BEAT® (Bispecific Engagement by Antibodies based on the T cell re­cep­tor), a pro­pri­e­tary plat­form; a devel­op­ment site, two research centers; a GMP biologics manu­fac­tur­ing facility and ~350 employees world­wide

Paramus, NJ (Press Release) – Ichnos ('īk-nōz) Sciences officially opened its doors to the world today as an independent, fully integrated, global bio­tech com­pany. A spin-off of Glenmark Holding SA, a global pharma­ceu­tical com­pany with a track-record of im­prov­ing patients' lives by providing affordable med­i­cines, the newly formed com­pany was first approved in principle by the Glenmark Board of Directors in Feb­ru­ary 2019 and now operates with its own board of directors and exec­u­tive team. Former Gilead exec­u­tive, Alessandro Riva, MD, is CEO of Ichnos Sciences.

"Ichnos Sciences takes its name from an ancient Greek word that means 'footprint,' and is dedicated to transforming how people think about and treat cancer, auto­immune dis­ease and pain, and to leaving an imprint on the lives of those affected by dis­ease," Dr. Riva said. "The Com­pany takes a holistic, dis­ease-centric ap­proach to research, has been structured to work faster, smarter and more col­lab­o­ratively to accelerate devel­op­ment and quickly bring new treat­ments to patients."

Ichnos Sciences, headquartered in Paramus, N.J., launches with a firm global footprint that in­cludes two research centers (Biologics in Switzerland and small molecules in Mahape, Navi Mumbai, India), a devel­op­ment site (Paramus, N.J.) and a GMP biologics manu­fac­tur­ing facility (Switzerland). Approximately 350 employees work at the Com­pany and are dedicated to accelerating can­di­dates in the pipe­line to­ward com­mer­cial­iza­tion.

Ichnos Sciences' current pipe­line in­cludes three new biological entities (NBE) and two new chemical entities (NCE) in various stages of devel­op­ment across on­col­ogy, auto­immune dis­ease and pain. The immuno-oncology biologics pipe­line is devel­oped through the Com­pany's pro­pri­e­tary BEAT® (Bispecific Engagement by Antibodies based on the T cell re­cep­tor) plat­form.

GBR 1342, the Com­pany's CD38xCD3 bispecific anti­body (bsAb) under devel­op­ment for re­lapsed & re­frac­tory multiple myeloma, was recently granted orphan drug desig­na­tion by the U.S. Food and Drug Admin­istra­tion.

Overall, Ichnos Sciences' goals are to:

• Rapidly ad­vance its pipe­line of clin­i­cal-stage assets. Key readouts for four of its five pipe­line can­di­dates are ex­pec­ted starting in 2020
• Invest in NBE and NCE discovery in on­col­ogy and auto­immune dis­ease to develop next generation of biologics and small molecules

"We are build­ing on the con­tri­bu­tions of those who came before while paving a new path for­ward," Dr. Riva said. "We will imprint our mark forever by transforming the way we treat dis­eases. We dare to imagine a world where cure is possible."

Ichnos Sciences is in the process of obtaining all the nec­es­sary statutory, legal, corporate and regu­la­tory approvals for completion of the spin-off, which is ex­pec­ted to occur in the first quarter of calendar year 2020.

About the Ichnos Sciences Pipeline

Ichnos Sciences is setting a new standard for drug devel­op­ment by ad­vanc­ing pro­pri­e­tary, inno­va­tive tech­nolo­gies that bring an entirely new ap­proach to treating dis­ease. Its current pipe­line in­cludes:

Oncology: Two assets in Phase 1 clin­i­cal devel­op­ment: GBR 1302, a HER2xCD3 bsAb, is being eval­u­ated for HER2 pos­i­tive breast cancer and GBR 1342, a CD38xCD3 bsAb, is being studied for multiple myeloma. Data readouts for both can­di­dates are ex­pec­ted in 2021.

Autoimmune Disease: GBR 830, an anti-OX40 mono­clonal anti­body and the Com­pany's lead biologic can­di­date, is cur­rently in Phase 2b clin­i­cal devel­op­ment for the treat­ment of mod­er­ate to severe atopic dermatitis and data readout is ex­pec­ted in 2020. Based on an entirely new mech­a­nism of action, GBR 830 has the poten­tial for addi­tional devel­op­ment beyond atopic dermatitis.

Pain: Two assets in clin­i­cal studies: GRC 27864, a non-opioid, potent, selective and orally bioavailable in­hib­i­tor of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), is cur­rently being eval­u­ated in Phase 2b clin­i­cal devel­op­ment for osteoarthritic pain with data readout ex­pec­ted in 2020. GRC 17536, a non-opioid TRPA1 antagonist, has com­pleted a Phase 2a proof of concept study in patients with painful diabetic periph­eral neu­rop­athy.

About Ichnos Sciences

A fully integrated, global bio­tech with the spirit of a start-up, Ichnos Sciences is shifting the way the world thinks about inno­va­tion in med­i­cine through its research and devel­op­ment of transformative, dis­ease-centric treat­ments in on­col­ogy, auto­immune dis­ease and pain. The Com­pany, with headquarters in Paramus, N.J., is rapidly ad­vanc­ing a clin­i­cal-stage pipe­line of novel, first-in-class can­di­dates designed to address complex dis­eases and treat patients holistically. With a patented BEAT® tech­nology plat­form along with pioneering teams in Switzerland and India, Ichnos Sciences has a mission to provide break­­through, curative ther­a­pies that will hopefully extend and im­prove lives, writing a new chapter in health­care. For more in­for­ma­tion, visit IchnosSciences.com.

Source: Ichnos Sciences.