Copernicus has earned the milestone payment by demonstrating a significant improvement in the level of CFTR gene activity in an animal model. This increased improvement in the level and duration of CFTR gene activity represents an important step in the path to developing a clinically relevant therapy.
Robert Moen, president and CEO of Copernicus, said: “We have had a productive relationship for a number of years with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics (CFFT) and we share the common goal of providing a safe and effective therapeutic for people with cystic fibrosis (CF). We look forward to working with CFFT in meeting the critical need for an effective gene-based therapy for the lung manifestations of CF.”
Robert Beall, president and CEO of the CF Foundation, said: “We are encouraged by the promise of Copernicus’s technology. Gene-based therapies offer hope for potentially lifesaving treatments that can be applied to all patients with CF, regardless of the specific type of gene mutation.”