Eolas Therapeutics and AstraZeneca Partner to Develop Orexin-1 Receptor Antagonist for Multiple Indications

CARLSBAD, Calif., June 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Eolas Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that is has entered into a worldwide license and partnership agreement with AstraZeneca on the Eolas Orexin-1 Receptor Antagonist (EORA) program for smoking cessation and other indications.

The EORA program was awarded a Blueprint Neurotherapeutics (BPN) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the development of the program from the preclinical stage through phase I clinical trials.

"We are happy to be partnering with AstraZeneca on our EORA program for their scientific, clinical, regulatory, and commercial expertise. Our two companies share a vision for greatly improving the lives of patients affected by addiction and other neurological disorders," said Albert Man, CEO of Eolas Therapeutics.

"We are also proud to be the first active NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics program to bridge the gap from concept to commercial licensing. The BPN has been, and will continue to be, instrumental in the development of our therapeutic program."

John Dunlop, Head of the AstraZeneca Neuroscience Innovative Medicines (iMed) unit said:  "We are pleased to enter into this novel partnership with Eolas and the NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics program on the orexin-1 receptor antagonist program. This collaboration is a great example of our unique approach to Neuroscience drug discovery and development, partnering to advance the most exciting scientific opportunities in areas of high unmet medical need."

"We are pleased that support from the NIH's Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN) facilitated Eolas' efforts aimed at developing new therapies for addiction," said Rajesh Ranganathan, PhD, Director of the Office of Translational Research at the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, which manages the BPN program for all the participating NIH institutes and centers. "The goal of the BPN is to speed the practical application of promising neuroscience projects by supporting early-stage research that will attract industry support. This partnership between Eolas and AstraZeneca shows that the BPN strategy is working and that combining the strengths and capabilities of industry and academia can accelerate research."

The total deal potential is in excess of $145M. This includes upfront, clinical and regulatory milestone payments. Additionally, Eolas is eligible to receive royalties on commercial sales.

About Eolas Therapeutics, Inc.
Eolas Therapeutics, Inc. is a therapeutic development company committed to treating diseases of addiction and other neurological disorders. Our lead program, EORA, has developed first-in-class compounds to treat nicotine and other drug addictions. It is the first therapeutic to directly address the brain circuitry of addiction rather than the drug-signaling pathway. For more information, please visit http://www.eolastherapeutics.com.

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune, oncology, infection and neuroscience diseases. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information please visit www.astrazeneca.com.

SOURCE Eolas Therapeutics, Inc.

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http://www.eolastherapeutics.com