E+H advised AFFiRiS AG on the negotiation of an exclusive license agreement with Frontiers Biotechnologies Inc. AFFiRiS is an Austrian clinical stage biotechnology company. Frontier Biotechnologies Inc. is a publicly traded Chinese commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company. The agreement is to develop and commercialize AFFITOPE® AT04 to treat patients with hypercholesterolemia in Greater China, which consists of Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. AFFiRiS will retain all rights to AT04 in the remaining regions of the world. The license agreement is subject to customary regulatory approvals in Austria.
AFFITOPE ® AT04: a treatment with a future
AFFiRiS' proprietary compound AFFITOPE® AT04 is a potential candidate for first-in-class active immunotherapy targeting PCSK9. The efficacy of this therapy was recently confirmed in a large phase 1 clinical trial (Zeitlinger et al. 2021).
Hypercholesterolemia is a chronic disease associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. The collaboration with Frontier Biotechnlogies now enables AT04 to be further developed as a cost-effective and patient-friendly treatment alternative in China.
Noel Barrett, PhD, CEO of AFFiRiS AG commented: “This collaboration further validates our AFFITOME® technology platform. It fuels our ongoing efforts to license AT04 globally as we see a growing need for efficacious treatments in hypercholesterolemia. Many thanks to Marco Steiner, Johannes Feilmair, and the whole E+H team for their support over the past months."
Marco Steiner and Johannes Feilmair have significant expertise in corporate transactions involving the healthcare industry, and they spearheaded the E+H team working on this agreement.
Advisors to Affiris AG:
E+H Eisenberger + Herzog Attorneys at Law
Marco Steiner (Partner, Corporate/M&A), Johannes Feilmair (Attorney, Corporate/M&A), Dr. Jana Eichmeyer (Partner, Employment Law), Judith Feldner (Partner, Antitrust Law), Fabian Larcher (Associate, Corporate/M&A), Alexander Reiter (Associate, Antitrust Law)
KPMG (Tax Advisors)
Andreas Kronawetter, Lukas Plakolm
Sonn & Partner (Patent Counsel)
Dr. Daniel Alge
Advant Beiten (Local Chinese Counsel)
Susanne Rademacher, Jenna.Wang-Metzner
About E+H:
E+H is a commercial law firm operating internationally, with offices in Vienna, Graz, and Klagenfurt. The firm regularly receives awards and top spots in international rankings and directories, such as Chambers & Partners Global & Europe, Legal 500, JUVE, and Mergermarket.
https://www.eh.at/en/
About AFFiRiS AG:
AFFiRiS is a clinical-stage biotechnology company located in Vienna, Austria, with a vision of using the immune system to identify and target human proteins central to the development and progression of neurodegenerative and cardiometabolic diseases, based on its proprietary patented AFFITOME® technology. The Company’s ultimate goal is to improve the lives of patients suffering from these diseases by providing specific immunotherapies.
www.affiris.com
Contact:
Marco Steiner
T: +43 1 606 3647
E+H Eisenberger + Herzog Rechtsanwalts GmbH
Vienna Twin Towers, Wienerbergstraße 11
1100 Wien