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Western States Biopharmaceuticals and University of Colorado Announce Exclusive Licensing Agreement for TCISM(TM) Targets to Treat Autoimmune Diseases

AURORA, Colo., July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Western States Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (WSBI), a privately-held biotechnology company focusing on the development of novel therapies to treat inflammatory disease, and the University of Colorado announced today that they have entered into a licensing agreement for approaches to inhibiting newly discovered T cell Cytokine Inducing Surface Molecules, or TCISM(TM) autoimmune disease drug discovery targets.

WSBI's Chief Scientific Officer and a discoverer of the TCISM targets, Dr. Carl K. Edwards, said, "The goal of WSBI's drug discovery and development research programs is to mediate adaptive immunity (one of two arms of the immune system) while leaving the innate immune system intact. This more selective approach has the potential to result in more effective, yet safer therapies than those currently available to patients."

Dr. David Norris, Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus and a discoverer of the TCISM targets, commented further, "Autoimmune diseases comprise over 100 chronic and often disabling illnesses affecting up to 100 million people worldwide. While there are blockbuster therapies that treat these diseases, they work in only a portion of patients and often lack long-term efficacy. Additionally, because they block the patient's entire immune system, these drugs leave the body vulnerable to infections and even malignancies. TCISM-based therapies could potentially provide physicians and patients improved options for the treatment of many inflammatory diseases."

WSBI is currently advancing its lead molecule - WSBI-711 - an antibody against two TCISM targets into midstage pre-clinical testing. WSBI's other promising TCISM antibody and orally-active small molecule therapeutic programs are also progressing towards pre-clinical development.

"TCISMs are a powerful new technology in the battle against autoimmune disease that has the potential to revolutionize standard of care," added Paul Tabor of the CU Technology Transfer Office. "The university is very pleased to memorialize a partnership with Western States Biopharmaceuticals, a company we believe is ideally positioned to bring this technology forward."

Western States Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. is a privately-held biotechnology company leveraging discoveries from the University of Colorado's world-class autoimmune research center. WSBI's management team has participated in the development or commercialization of breakthrough autoimmune therapies including Enbrel®, ProliaT, and Kineret®. Its scientific advisory board is composed of award-winning research and clinical experts in inflammation. WSBI has a pipeline of products in pre-clinical development based on TCISM targets. For more information visit: www.westernstatesbiopharm.com.

The CU Technology Transfer Office (TTO) pursues, protects, packages, and licenses to business the intellectual property generated from research at CU. The TTO provides assistance to faculty, staff, and students, as well as to businesses looking to license or invest in CU technology. For more information about technology transfer at CU, visit www.cu.edu/techtransfer.

This release was issued through WebWire(R). For more information visit http://www.webwire.com.

    For Western States Biopharmaceuticals:
    Felicia Vonella, LAS Communications
    (917) 826-3427
    felicia@lascommunications.com

    For University of Colorado:
    Lindsay Polak
    Technology Transfer Office
    (303) 735-5518
    lindsay.polak@cu.edu

SOURCE Western States Biopharmaceuticals