Epix achieves new milestone in its collaboration with CFFT

As a result, Epix will receive $500,000 from Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics (CFFT), bringing the total amount of milestone payments achieved under this collaboration to $4.5 million.

The milestone payment is part of a research, development and commercialization agreement between Epix and CFFT that focuses on discovering potential drug therapies targeting the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) ion channel. Under the terms of the agreement, Epix will own all worldwide rights to any compound that results from this collaboration.

Epix has made a significant breakthrough in identifying two structural classes of dual-acting compounds. These compounds act as both potentiators and correctors that target the delta F508 mutation of the CFTR, the most common mutation of the key protein associated with cystic fibrosis. The identification of these compounds resulted from Epix’s discovery platform which integrates proprietary in silico modeling techniques with hypothesis-driven approaches for the design and synthesis of compounds.

Elkan Gamzu, interim CEO of Epix, said: “We have made tremendous progress in our collaboration with CFFT, and we believe the identification of these compounds marks the first time that compounds have been identified that may possibly act as both potentiators and correctors of the delta F508 mutation, the most common mutation in CF patients.

“Through the use of our in silico screening approach, we have successfully identified and characterized these two classes of new compounds to move forward into lead optimization and potentially into clinical development.”