(Alliance News) - Syncona Ltd on Friday noted Freeline Therapeutics Holdings PLC's positive data for Gaucher disease treatment.
The London-based investor in healthcare companies currently owns 49.7% of shares in biotechnology firm, Freeline.
Syncona said Freeline has now dosed five patients in its Phase I/II Galileo-1 trial for its novel gene therapy candidate FLT201, used to treat Gaucher disease.
FLT201 has continued to be well tolerated with no serious adverse events observed, Syncona said, adding that all treatment-related adverse events were mild.
In addition, the gene therapy continued to" induce robust increases in plasma GCase activity, demonstrating strong expression from the liver," the company noted.
According to Syncona, Gaucher disease is a "debilitating genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of the GCase enzyme."
Syncona Chief Executive Officer Chris Hollowood said: "The data released to date from Freeline continues to show the transformative potential of the FLT201 therapy to target the root cause of Gaucher disease and provide a one-time, targeted treatment. We look forward to dosing more patients and generating longer term data from those already dosed patients that will inform the path to a pivotal study. We continue to support the Freeline management team as they focus on execution and believe that taking the company private under our ownership provides the best route for developing this therapy and bringing it to patients."
Further data from the trial is set to be published in the second half of the year.
Syncona added that its acquisition of Freeline's remaining stock is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024.
Back in November, the investor had agreed to acquire all remaining stock in Freeline for USD6.50 in cash per share, valuing the firm at approximately USD28.3 million.
Syncona will provide up to USD15 million of financing in conjunction with the acquisition to enable Freeline to meet its near-term cash requirements and continue advancing its lead programme, FLT201.
Shares in Syncona were 3.5% higher at 124.40 pence each in London on Friday morning.
By Sabrina Penty, Alliance News reporter
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