MoonLake Immunotherapeutics signs development and manufacturing agreement with Vetter Pharma International GmbH
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics signs development and manufacturing agreement with Vetter Pharma International GmbH
ZUG, Switzerland, July 26, 2022 – MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG (MoonLake; Nasdaq: MLTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on creating next-level therapies for inflammatory diseases, today announced that it has signed a Master Development Services Agreement with Vetter Pharma International GmbH (Vetter), a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization for fill and finish services, ranging from development support, including clinical manufacturing, through to commercial supply.
Under the agreement Vetter will be responsible for the aseptic filling of syringes with sonelokimab, and the subsequent assembly into an autoinjector combination device and packaging. Sonelokimab is MoonLake’s investigational Nanobody® designed to treat inflammatory disease by inhibiting the naturally occurring IL-17A/A, IL-17A/F, and IL-17F/F dimers that drive inflammation. In addition, sonelokimab is designed to directly target sites of inflammation and penetrate difficult-to-reach inflamed tissues.
Development studies associated with the manufacturing of sub-cutaneous sonelokimab for clinical trials and commercial volumes have been concluded, and technical engineering batches started in Q2 2022. The first clinical Good Manufacturing Practice batches are expected to be manufactured in Q4 2022 as a complementary, second supply point alongside the current source of drug product for clinical use.
Oliver Daltrop, Chief Technical Officer of MoonLake, said, “I am excited to work with such a high quality and reliable partner. With Vetter’s world-class support, we have further strengthened the supply chain for sonelokimab from drug filling through to finished product.”
Carsten Press, Senior Vice President Key Account Management, Supply Chain Management and Marketing at Vetter, added, “As an experienced service provider for the production of vital medications for patients in need, we look forward to partnering with MoonLake to bring its novel Nanobody sonelokimab from the development stage to commercial launch.”
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About MoonLake Immunotherapeutics
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company unlocking the potential of sonelokimab, a novel investigational Nanobody® for the treatment of inflammatory disease, to revolutionize outcomes for patients. Sonelokimab inhibits IL-17A and IL-17F by inhibiting the naturally occurring IL-17A/A, IL-17A/F, and IL-17F/F dimers that drive inflammation. The company’s focus is on inflammatory diseases with a major unmet need, including hidradenitis suppurativa and psoriatic arthritis, conditions affecting millions of people worldwide with a large need for improved treatment options. MoonLake was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. Further information is available at www.moonlaketx.com.
About Nanobodies®
Nanobodies® represent a new generation of antibody-derived targeted therapies. They consist of one or more domains based on the small antigen-binding variable regions of heavy-chain-only antibodies (VHH). Nanobodies® have a number of potential advantages over traditional antibodies, including their small size, enhanced tissue penetration, resistance to temperature changes, ease of manufacturing, and the ability to design multivalent therapeutic molecules with bespoke target combinations.
The terms Nanobody® and Nanobodies® are trademarks of Ablynx, a Sanofi company.
About Sonelokimab
Sonelokimab (M1095) is an investigational ~40 kDa humanized Nanobody® consisting of three VHH domains covalently linked by flexible glycine-serine spacers. With two domains, sonelokimab selectively binds with high affinity to IL-17A and IL-17F, thereby inhibiting the naturally occurring IL-17A/A, IL-17A/F, and IL-17F/F dimers. A third central domain binds to human albumin, facilitating further enrichment of sonelokimab at sites of inflammatory edema.
Sonelokimab has been assessed in a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2b trial in 313 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis. Sonelokimab demonstrated a rapid and durable clinical response (Investigator’s Global Assessment Score 0 or 1, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 90/100) in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis. Sonelokimab was generally well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to the active control, secukinumab (Papp KA, et al. Lancet. 2021; 397:1564-1575).
In an earlier Phase 1 trial in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis, sonelokimab has been shown to decrease (to normal skin levels) the cutaneous gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (Svecova D. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019;81:196–203). Sonelokimab is not yet approved for use in any indication.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding MoonLake’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future including, without limitation, statements regarding: plans for clinical trials and research and development programs; and the anticipated timing of the results from those trials; and the anticipated markets for products, if approved. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that statement is not forward looking.
Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by MoonLake and its management, as the case may be, are inherently uncertain. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with MoonLake’s business in general and limited operating history, difficulty enrolling patients in clinical trials, and reliance on third parties to conduct and support its clinical trials, and the other risks described in or incorporated by reference into MoonLake’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 11, 2022 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this press release, which speak only as of the date they are made and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein. MoonLake does not undertake or accept any duty to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or in the events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics Investors
Matthias Bodenstedt, CFO
info@moonlaketx.com
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics Media
Matthew Cole, Mary-Jane Elliott
Consilium Strategic Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700
media@moonlaketx.com
MoonLake@consilium-comms.com
