19 Apr 2021 07:00
4D pharma collaborates with Parkinson's UK to establish Patient Advisory Board
Leeds, UK, April 19, 2021 - 4D pharma plc (AIM: DDDD; NASDAQ: LBPS), a pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs) - a novel class of drug derived from the microbiome, today announces a collaboration with Parkinson's UK, a non-profit organization focused on advancing the understanding of Parkinson's disease and improving treatments, to establish a Patient Advisory Board.
The Patient Advisory Board (PAB) will be comprised of people living with Parkinson's. Supported by Parkinson's UK, the PAB will provide valuable patient-centric perspective to 4D pharma as it continues to advance novel Live Biotherapeutics into the clinic to treat neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's. The PAB will also focus on raising awareness of the issues people with Parkinson's face with current treatment options.
"4D pharma selected to work with Parkinson's UK to represent the patient community as the largest charitable funder of Parkinson's research in Europe. The contributions of our Patient Advisory Board, with the support of Parkinson's UK, will be vital to 4D pharma's efforts to not only develop novel therapeutics for this devastating condition, but also promote a dialogue and partnership with the Parkinson's patient community," said Alex Stevenson, Chief Scientific Officer, 4D pharma. "Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. It is important that therapeutics in development address the issues of patients. By working with Parkinson's UK and our Patient Advisory Board, 4D pharma is better able to engage Parkinson's patients with our clinical programs as we work to bring the first Live Biotherapeutic for the treatment of this condition into the clinic."
"145,000 people are currently living with Parkinson's in the UK alone. There is a desperate need for new and better treatments. To develop these, it is vital to involve people affected by Parkinson's at every stage of research - from setting priorities and making decisions about funding to designing trials," said Natasha Ratcliffe, Research Involvement Manager at Parkinson's UK. "We're delighted to be working with innovative companies like 4D pharma that share these values with us and are bringing new approaches to developing transformational new treatments for Parkinson's. The Patient Advisory Board will enable people affected by Parkinson's to have input into the development of this novel treatment."
Today's announcement builds on 4D pharma's previously announced partnership with the Michael J. Fox Foundation-sponsored Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), where 4D pharma will collaborate as an industry partner. Through this partnership 4D pharma representatives join the PPMI Partner Scientific Advisory Board closely involved in the design and execution of the landmark PPMI study, as well as additional PPMI Working Groups to discuss PPMI data and address Parkinson's clinical trial challenges.
4D pharma continues to progress plans for a first-in-human clinical trial in Parkinson's disease patients of its oral single strain Live Biotherapeutics.
About 4D pharma
4D pharma is a world leader in the development of Live Biotherapeutics, a novel and emerging class of drugs, defined by the FDA as biological products that contain a live organism, such as a bacterium, that is applicable to the prevention, treatment or cure of a disease. 4D has developed a proprietary platform, MicroRx®, that rationally identifies Live Biotherapeutics based on a deep understanding of function and mechanism.
4D pharma's Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs) are orally delivered single strains of bacteria that are naturally found in the healthy human gut. The Company has six clinical programmes, namely a Phase I/II study of MRx0518 in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in solid tumours, a Phase I study of MRx0518 in a neoadjuvant setting for patients with solid tumours, a Phase I study of MRx0518 in patients with pancreatic cancer, a Phase I/II study of MRx-4DP0004 in asthma, a Phase II study of MRx-4DP0004 in patients hospitalised with COVID-19, and Blautix® in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which has completed a successful Phase II trial. Preclinical-stage programmes include candidates for CNS disease such as Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The Company has a research collaboration with MSD, a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, to discover and develop Live Biotherapeutics for vaccines.
For more information, refer to https://www.4dpharmaplc.com
About Parkinson's and Parkinson's UK
Parkinson's is what happens when the brain cells that make dopamine start to die. There are more than 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety. Some are treatable, but the drugs can have serious side effects. It gets worse over time and there's no cure. Yet.
Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. Around 145,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's.
For more facts and statistics, please click here.
Further information, advice and support is available on the Parkinson's UK website, www.parkinsons.org.uk.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this announcement, including without limitation statements regarding 4D's pharma's plans for an in-human clinical trial in Parkinson's patients and the contributions of the PAB, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Forward-looking statements are often identified by the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "intend," "foresee," "should," "would," "could," "may," "estimate," "outlook" and similar expressions, including the negative thereof. The absence of these words, however, does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations, beliefs and assumptions concerning future developments and business conditions and their potential effect on the Company. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that it anticipates.
All of the Company's forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant or beyond its control, and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's historical experience and its present expectations or projections. The foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include potential delays in its clinical studies, the failure of the PAB to provide meaningful insights into the development of treatments and those additional risks and uncertainties described the documents filed by the Company with the US Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Company wishes to caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of its forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.
Contact Information:
4D pharma
Investor Relations: ir@4dpharmaplc.com
N+1 Singer - Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker +44 (0)20 7496 3000
Philip Davies / Iqra Amin / James Fischer (Corporate Finance)
Tom Salvesen (Corporate Broking)
Bryan Garnier & Co. Limited - Joint Broker +44 (0)20 7332 2500
Dominic Wilson / Phil Walker
Stern Investor Relations, Inc. +1-212-362-1200
Julie Seidel Julie.seidel@sternir.com
Image Box Communications +44 (0)20 8943 4685
Neil Hunter / Michelle Boxall
neil@ibcomms.agency / michelle@ibcomms.agency