BioSenic appoints Michel Wurm, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer
REGULATED INFORMATION
Appointment to further integrate
BioSenic’s both cell therapy and autoimmune disease platforms under
the responsibility of a new CMO
and cross-pollinate the experiences of both teams to accelerate
clinical progression
Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium,
December 02, 2022, 7am
CET – BIOSENIC (Euronext Brussels and
Paris: BIOS), the company specializing in serious autoimmune
/inflammatory diseases and cell repair, today announces it has
appointed Michel Wurm, MD, as interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO),
responsible for the development of both of BioSenic’s cell therapy
and autoimmune disease platforms.
Michel Wurm replaces Anne Leselbaum as interim
CMO and as an independent consultant. His appointment will commence
with immediate effect. Both Michel and Anne worked and collaborated
closely together alongside the medical and scientific teams
throughout the processes of the merger between Bone Therapeutics
and Medsenic, from when the discussions between the two companies
started in May 2022. Michel will serve as CMO whilst BioSenic
selects a permanent CMO from the list of candidates it is currently
compiling. The new CMO will be selected for his/her expertise and
experience in both autoimmunity and cell therapy.
“Now the merger is complete, BioSenic is fully
focused on combining its clinical development pipelines from its
cell therapy and autoimmune platforms. Michel’s experience working
within the clinical development team throughout the merger makes
him the ideal candidate to drive the cell therapy platform ALLOB to
the end of its phase IIb trial and start the phase III trial for
our autoimmune platform, the following successful conclusion of the
previous phase II trial. His years of expertise both in phase II
and III clinical trials will be critical in this period for
BioSenic,” said Prof. François Rieger, President and CEO of
BioSenic. “Michel’s experience means he will be best
placed to prepare BioSenic to take full advantage of the results of
the ALLOB phase IIb trial following completion, as well as conduct
the most thorough preparation of the phase III trial for our
autoimmune platform. These clinical developments will be key value
creation milestones for BioSenic in the first half of 2023. This
late-stage clinical progression will enable BioSenic to start the
process of engaging with industrial partners to co-develop
late-stage clinical projects and to look at other segments of
interest in autoimmune diseases and cancer. I would like to thank
Anne Leselbaum for her dedicated efforts during the merger until
its completion.”
Michel has been selected as interim CMO
primarily for his previous achievements for MedSenic. He has
acquired considerable knowledge of clinical development,
specifically in phase II and III. In Michel’s career, he has
designed and managed over 50 international phase II and III
clinical studies and has extensive experience in working within
clinical guidelines for, and interacting with regulatory agencies
including the FDA and EMA. Michel has also acquired experience in a
number of therapeutic target areas including cardiovascular
diseases, inflammation and auto-immunity. Michel has also gained
wider expertise in innovative drug development, including launching
start-ups, filing patents, and raising funds for both private and
public companies. Michel wrote the French adaption of ‘The
Investigator's Guide to Clinical Research’, a manual for
investigators and health professionals involved in conducting
clinical research, investigator financial disclosure, noncompliance
issues, the FDA audit process and data collection technologies.
As Michel has been instrumental in bringing
together the clinical pipelines of Bone Therapeutics and Medsenic
during the merger process, he has gained full working knowledge of
the current clinical progress of the cell therapy platform ALLOB
and has extensive working knowledge of the autoimmune platform
using arsenic trioxide (ATO), and specifically its clinical
development in cGvHD (chronic Graft vs Host Disease).
Michel will be immediately responsible for
continued progression of both BioSenic assets:
- The ALLOB MSC platform using cells
with immune privilege, anti-inflammatory properties and the ability
to differentiate into bone tissues when injected into the specific
bone sites to be regenerated or repaired. The phase IIb trial of
ALLOB, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in
patients with high-risk tibial fractures, is still ongoing and set
to report important interim results in H1 2023. Michel will
progress this trial to the intermediary analysis stage. This
includes overall responsibility for liaising with the CRO nominated
for the trial, and liaising with investigators in the thirty-five
trial centers across seven EU countries.
- For the autoimmune ATO platform
using ATO, Michel will also be focused on the start of the phase
III trial in cGvHD, and will oversee the commencement of
recruitment for the trial in a US center, to be selected
shortly.
“BioSenic, through its merger, has acquired two
platforms in cell therapy and autoimmune diseases. This has created
an opportunity to cross-pollinate the experiences of both teams to
drive through clinical development on our varied pipeline quickly.
As CMO, I will now be responsible for driving through clinical
candidates that can affect a wide spread of patients suffering from
a range of conditions and make a meaningful difference to the lives
of large numbers of patients,” said Michel
Wurm MD, CMO,
BioSenic. “A successful conclusion of the phase
IIb trial for ALLOB and the start of the phase III trial for the
autoimmune platform will be major milestones for BioSenic as well.
This will include further investigation of the medical
characteristics and mechanisms of action of the therapies. I will
be determined to enable BioSenic to recruit and progress this trial
quickly and reduce analysis time and increase the clarity of
results. This will move us towards the market as quickly as
possible.”
About BioSenic
BioSenic is a leading biotech company
specializing in the development of clinical assets issued from:
(i), the allogeneic cell therapy platform ALLOB and (ii) the
Arsenic TriOxide (ATO) platform. Key target indications for the
platforms include Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD), Systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE), Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and high-risk tibial
fractures.Following the merger in October 2022, BioSenic combines
the strategic positionings and strengths of Medsenic and Bone
Therapeutics. The merger also enables Biosenic to add to its
innovative cell therapy platform and strong IP for tissue repair
protection with an entirely new arsenal of various
anti-inflammatory and anti-autoimmune formulations using the
immunomodulatory properties of ATO/OATO. BioSenic is based in the
Louvain-la-Neuve Science Park in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium.
Further information is available at http://www.biosenic.com.
About BioSenic technology
platforms
BioSenic’s technology is based on:
1) The allogeneic cell and gene
therapy platform, developed by Bone Therapeutics with
differentiated bone marrow sourced Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs)
that can be stored at the point of use in hospitals. Its current
investigational medicinal product, ALLOB, represents a unique,
proprietary approach to organ repair and specifically to bone
regeneration, by turning undifferentiated stromal cells from
healthy donors into bone-forming cells on the site of injury. These
cells are produced via a proprietary BioSenic scalable
manufacturing process. Following the CTA approval by regulatory
authorities in Europe, the Company has initiated patient
recruitment for the Phase IIb clinical trial with ALLOB in patients
with difficult tibial fractures, using its optimized production
process. ALLOB continues to be evaluated for other orthopedic
indications including spinal fusion, osteotomy, maxillofacial and
dental, and should be of value in new indications when cells will
be further adapted or transformed with additional targeting
properties.2) The Arsenic TriOxide (ATO) platform
developed by Medsenic. The immunomodulatory properties of ATO have
demonstrated a double basic effect on cells of the immune system.
The first effect is the increase of the cell oxidative stress in
activated B, T or other cells of the innate/adaptative immune
system to the point they will enter a cell death program
(apoptosis) and be eliminated. The second effect is potent
immunomodulatory properties on several pro-inflammatory cytokines
involved in inflammatory or autoimmune cell pathways. One direct
application is its use in onco-immunology to treat GvHD
(Graft-versus-Host Disease) in its chronic, established stage. GvHD
is one of the most common and clinically significant complications
affecting long-term survival of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell
transplantation (allo-SCT). GvHD is primarily mediated by the
transplanted immune system that can lead to severe multiorgan
damage. Medsenic had been successful in a phase II trial with its
intravenous formulation, allowing arsenic trioxide to be granted an
orphan drug designation status by FDA and EMA and is heading
towards an international Phase III confirmatory study, with a new,
IP protected, oral (OATO) formulation. Moderate to Severe forms of
Systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE)° is another selected target,
using the same oral formulation. ATO has shown good safety and
significant clinical efficacy on several affected organs (skin,
mucosae and the gastro-intestinal tract) in a phase IIa study.
Systemic Sclerosis is, in addition, part of the clinical pipeline
of BioSenic. Preclinical studies on pertinent animal models are
positive. This gives good grounds to launch a phase II clinical
protocol for this serious disease that badly affects skin, lungs or
vascularization, and with no actual current effective
treatment.
For further information, please
contact:
BioSenic SAFrançois Rieger,
PhD, Chief Executive OfficerTel: +33 (0)671 73 31
59investorrelations@biosenic.com
For Belgian Media and Investor
Enquiries:BepublicBert BouserieTel: +32 (0)488 40
44 77bert.bouserie@bepublicgroup.be
International Media Enquiries:IB
CommunicationsNeil Hunter / Michelle BoxallTel: +44 (0)20
8943 4685neil.hunter@ibcomms.agency / michelle@ibcomms.agency
For French Media and Investor
Enquiries:NewCap MediaAnnie-Florence LoyerTel: +33
(0)1 44 71 00 12afloyer@newcap.fr
For French Investor Enquiries:Seitosei
ActifinGhislaine GasparettoTel: +33 (0)1 56 88 11
22ggasparetto@actifin.fr
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