SWISS LABEL INFORMATIQUE-XP - Com Consulting SA

C O M PA N Y P RO F I L EXIGEN offers new prospectsfor inflammatory diseasesTowards a new class of drugsXigen, a spin-off of the CHUV, is an example of how technology can be transferred between the public and private sectors.This company has developed a new product, the peptide XG-102, which paves the way for a truly innovative and welltolerated class of molecules. The company has raised some 50 million francs since its beginnings at the end of 2002. Xigenhas acquired knowledge and experience that puts it several lengths ahead of its rivals. Thanks to some very specific drugseffective at low doses that have come out of its research, a number of serious and hitherto incurable inflammatory diseasesmay find a remedy. CEO and founding member of Xigen, Dr Christophe Bonny, kindly agreed to answer our questions.The peptide XG-102 opens up new prospects. What makes it different fromother drugs?Our product is genuinely new, both in its design and in the way itworks. Xigen has overturned a dogma that says it is very difficult onthe one hand to make peptides (small pieces of protein) penetrateinside a cell while on the other hand keeping them intact for longenough to allow them to work. Well, we have a highly efficientpatented method of making them penetrate cells and of prolongingtheir life. No other comparable drug exists at this time. A pathology isalways a malfunction in our proteins. However, 90% of proteins areinside cells and we used to be unable to reach them except with thesesmall molecules. But now we can reach them with the actual componentsof proteins, and that is a small revolution…XIGEN TECHNOLOGY / LA TECHNOLOGIE DE XIGEN63What are the areas of application for your technology platform?Xigen’s technology platform opens up new possibilities in the areas ofinflammation, the central nervous system, cancer and virology. However,we have chosen to concentrate on inflammatory diseases, because XG-102has demonstrated, in a whole series of preclinical models relating tomajor inflammatory diseases, an effectiveness that is equal to or evenhigher than the standards recognised by the pharmaceutical industry.It is also a field in which numerous diseases are waiting for medicaltreatments and which are therefore of significant commercial interest.© XIGENIn principle, peptides are not capable of penetrating the cellular membrane.En principe, les peptides ne sont pas capables de franchir la membrane cellulaire.How far have you got with developing this new molecule, XG-102?We have just overcome a very important hurdle by successfullydemonstrating that Xigen’s new class of intracellular peptides are welltolerated by humans. This was established in a Phase I clinical trial, andis therefore the first time that it was administered to people intravenously.In addition, in collaboration with Auris Medical, Phase II clinical trialsare currently being conducted on XG-102 for the local treatment ofsensorineural hearing loss. A treatment given within 24 to 48 hoursfollowing an acoustic trauma could save a person’s hearing.What are your objectives in the short and medium term?We have just finished raising a further CHF 20 million, which willallow us to continue the evaluation of XG-102 in clinical trials so as toprove its effectiveness when administered systemically, an essentialprerequisite for fighting major inflammatory diseases. After that wewill continue developing several of the other drugs we currently havein the pipeline. Finally, Xigen is actively looking for industrial partners forXG-102, and for other peptidic drug candidates presenting promisingprospects in a growing pipeline of products.© XIGENXigen technology makes it possible to transport the peptides selectivelytowards the intracellular targets implicated in various pathologiesLa technologie de Xigen permet de transporter les peptides de façon sélectivevers les cibles intracellulaires impliquées dans diverses pathologiesXIGENRue des Terreaux, 17 - CH-1003 LausanneTel.: +41(0)21 321 10 80Fax: +41(0)21 321 10 81E-mail: info@csem.chWebsite: www.xigenpharma.comSwiss Label CHUV 2010