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Serono, Syntonix Sign Agreement for Inhaleable Interferon-Beta Therapy

April 1, 2005

Serono and Syntonix Pharmaceuticals have entered into an agreement under which Serono has licensed worldwide exclusive rights to Syntonix's Transceptor and Synfusion technologies for the development and commercialization of interferon-beta:Fc products.

Syntonix's technologies may enable the development of an interferon-beta therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) that can be administered by inhalation. It has been demonstrated that certain Fc constructs can facilitate transport of therapeutic proteins across the lung epithelium through neonatal Fc receptor-mediated uptake.

In in vivo experiments conducted by Syntonix and Serono, a proprietary interferon-beta:Fc molecule produced by Syntonix exhibited pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties that justify further development. Serono currently markets Rebif, a high-dose, high-frequency interferon beta-1a therapy for relapsing forms of MS, which is administered three times weekly via subcutaneous injection. Rebif is the leading treatment for MS outside the U.S. and the fastest growing treatment for MS in the U.S.