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Laurent Nguyen, founding CEO of the biotechnology company (Photo: Accure Therapeutics).
 17.11.2020

Accure Therapeutics starts up in the Barcelona Science Park after the closing of a first round of 7.6 M €

Accure Therapeutics, focused on developing innovative drugs to treat diseases of the central nervous system, starts at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB) as a new R&D player in the pharmaceutical industry. Formed by the merger of Iproteos and Bionure, linked to the park, Accure was created with a portfolio of products under development from the initial assets of both biotechnology companies, after the closing of a Series A round of funding totalling €7.6 million ($8.1M), led by Alta Life Sciences, and supported by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI).

Accure Therapeutics has started its activity in the Barcelona Science Park after the closing, last May, of a Series A round of funding totalling €7.6 million ($8.1M). The funding round was led by Alta Life Sciences and supported by the Centre for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI). The company will develop a portfolio of new drug candidates to treat CNS diseases, supported by a seasoned team with solid pharma and biotech experience, who will run operations.

There is a huge unmet medical need for disease modifier medicines; treatments that can change the course of serious orphan and non-orphan CNS diseases. Accure Therapeutics, as a new pharma R&D engine specialized in CNS, follows a straightforward corporate model. This consists of integrating valuable assets, people, R&D programs and investors to power a strong R&D engine. It will build on existing assets to create further value for patients, doctors and shareholders.

The company will start work on three distinct new medicine programs focused on innovative targets, truly differentiated in its sector. The initial assets have been sourced from two Spanish biotechonlogy companies created in the Barcelona Science Park with the support of academic and research institutions with a strong scientific background in Neurobiology: Iproteos, a spin-off from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the University of Barcelona (UB); i Bionure, a spin-off from the IDIBAPS-Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). The initial portfolio will serve as the basis for further expansion towards additional innovative R&D programs to be developed in CNS indications.

Accure Therapeutics main product is the ACT01 molecule, from Bionure, which is about to start phase 2 of clinical trials.The molecule is a neuroprotectant and the company is studying its efficacy for Optic Neuritis (NO) and Multiple Sclerosis ( EM).

The biotechnology company has two more active ingredients from Iproteos: the ACT-02 molecules, for Parkinson’s disease, and ACT-03 for the treatment of epilepsy, both in the preclinical study phase.

Laurent Nguyen, until now CEO of Bionure, will be in charge of the project, while the CEO of Iproteos, Teresa Tarragó, will perform functions at Accure as a member of the board of directors. The management team also includes Dr. Lucia Septién-Velez (CMO), Pablo Villoslada (CSO) and Paul Bikard (CFO).

“We are proud to announce the launch of Accure Therapeutics”, says Laurent Nguyen, founding CEO of Accure Therapeutics. “The high quality assets in our product portfolio have the potential to change the lives of patients living with disabling CNS diseases. Life is a gift, let us work hard to respect it.” Accure, certainly, remain at the PCB facility where we have had our offices for years”.

According Iproteos director, Teresa Tarragó: “Forming part of a new company like Accure Therapeutics, with a team of outstanding senior scientists with experience in the pharmaceutical sector and with strong investors such as Alta Life Sciences and CDTI, is a fantastic opportunity for the projects initially conceived and developed by Iproteos to reach patients quickly”.

“With a portfolio that initially focuses on four CNS disorders, we are confident that Accure will create significant value in a CNS sector with significant market potential and pharma appetite for innovative new medicine programs”, explains Montserrat Vendrell, partner at Alta Life Sciences. “Accure Therapeutics will operate according to the efficient small R&D pharma model and its team will be best positioned to deliver value to patients, caregivers, doctors and the industry at large.”

PCB