BRAIN Biotech AG and Akribion Therapeutics GmbH sign exclusive pharma licensing agreement for G-dase E® CRISPR-Cas technology

BRAIN Biotech AG and Akribion Therapeutics GmbH sign exclusive pharma licensing agreement for G-dase E^® CRISPR-Cas technology

• Akribion Therapeutics GmbH financed by strong Venture Capital Consortium with pharma expertise
• BRAIN can receive up to EUR 92.3 million R&D and commercial milestone fees plus additional royalties in exchange for granting exclusive G-dase E rights for use in Pharma
• Non-pharma related proprietary CRISPR rights remain with BRAIN Biotech for use in its core business

Zwingenberg, Germany, 31.10.2024 – BRAIN Biotech AG signed an exclusive technology pharma licensing agreement with Akribion Therapeutics GmbH for its genome editing nuclease G-dase E^®. In exchange for granting exclusive pharma rights to Akribion, BRAIN Biotech can receive up to EUR 92.3 million R&D and commercial milestone fees. In addition, the company will be entitled to royalties on net sales. The payment structure is based on clinical development progress and market success.

Akribion is led by the two Co-CEOs Lukas Linnig and Dr. Michael Krohn, who will leave BRAIN Biotech in the next weeks to lead Akribion Therapeutics. Lukas and Michael will be joined by an experienced team of scientists and commercial developers. Akribion is financially backed by a venture capital consortium with a strong track record in early-stage pharma ventures.

Adriaan Moelker, CEO of BRAIN Biotech AG, states: "This transaction marks the next important milestone to commercialize and partner projects from our BioIncubator segment which contains highly value-added projects. To successfully develop pharma projects, we have always been looking for strong partners with deep expertise in the sector. This strong venture capital consortium will now help develop this very promising new therapy approach together with the management and scientific team of Akribion Therapeutics, giving the technology the best chance for success whilst allowing BRAIN Biotech to focus on its core business. BRAIN Biotech will continue to realize additional commercialization options for our CRISPR-Cas nucleases outside the exclusively licensed field."

Lukas Linnig, Co-CEO Akribion Therapeutics GmbH says: “We are pleased to see this transaction unfold with a strong consortium, a committed team and supportive licensing partner in BRAIN Biotech. We look forward to building Akribion Therapeutics as a key player to develop urgently needed medication for patients with life threatening diseases.” Dr. Michael Krohn, Co-CEO Akribion Therapeutics GmbH adds: “This pioneering technology holds the potential to significantly expand the treatment landscape, not only in oncology but across various therapeutic areas but always driven by our commitment to deliver innovative, ethically grounded treatments that improve outcomes for patients facing serious diseases.”

The genome editing nuclease G-dase E^® is part of the proprietary CRISPR-Cas genome editing nuclease portfolio of BRAIN Biotech AG and has been developed within the company’s BioIncubator pipeline of highly innovative projects. BRAIN Biotech intends to commercialize and monetize additional projects with high value from its BioIncubator pipeline during the next years.

This transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions.

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About BRAIN Biotech

BRAIN Biotech AG is a leading provider of integrated solutions and products in the field of industrial biotechnology. The company specializes in enzymes and proteins, microbial production strains and bioprocesses for biotechnological production methods. BRAIN Biotech focuses on the growth markets of nutrition and life sciences as well as on innovative solutions for environment issues. BRAIN Biotech AG is the parent company of the international BRAIN Biotech Group. Its business activities are divided into three segments: 1. BioProducts: Production and sale of specialty enzymes and proteins; 2. BioScience: Customized solutions based on enzyme engineering, production strain and bioprocess development, and screening for bioactive compounds; 3. BioIncubator: Pipeline of research-intensive development projects. For production, the Group operates fermentation plants in the UK and other production facilities in continental Europe and the USA. BRAIN Biotech has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since February 9, 2016 (ticker: BNN; ISIN DE0005203947 / WKN 520394). The company employs around 310 people and generated revenues of EUR 55.3 million in the fiscal year 2022/23. For more information, please visit www.brain-biotech-group.com

About Akribion Therapeutics

Akribion Therapeutics GmbH is an early stage biotech company developing precision oncology treatments. Using a groundbreaking new class of guided cytotoxic nucleases, Akribion aims to broaden the treatment landscape in critical therapeutic areas, with an initial focus in oncology through the use of highly selective cell depletion technology, enabled by specific targeting of RNA biomarkers. This unique technology platform is based on a proprietary family of nucleases termed G-dase® E.

Akribion is committed to using its technology to improve patient treatment in compliance with high ethical standards.

Akribion Therapeutics has been founded in 2024 by an expert team of scientists and Biotech executives, and is headquartered in Zwingenberg, Germany.

For more information, please see LinkedIn.

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PR & Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 6251 9331-70
Email: stk@brain-biotech.com
 

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Investor Relations
Phone: +49 6251 9331-69
Email: ms@brain-biotech.com

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the current views, expectations, and assumptions of the management of BRAIN Biotech AG, and are based on information currently available to the management.

Forward-looking statements are no guarantees of future performance, and entail both known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Numerous factors exist that could influence the future performance of and future developments at BRAIN Biotech AG and the BRAIN Biotech Group. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in the general economic and competitive environment, risks associated with capital markets, currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in international and national laws and regulations, in particular with respect to tax laws and regulations, as well as other factors.

BRAIN Biotech AG does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.