Maruho–4SC: Kv1.3 inhibitors, 201707–202009 license ww excl for up to total €208m upfront + milestones plus royalties TERMINATED 9/20

	Period	2017-07-15 ï¿½ 2020-09-11
	Region	ALL
	Partner, 1st	Maruho Co., Ltd.
	Group	Maruho (Group)
	Partner, 2nd	4SC AG (FSE: VSC)
	Group	4SC (Group)
	Product	Kv1.3 inhibitor

4SC AG. (7/18/17). "Press Release: 4SC Licenses Kv1.3 Inhibitors to Maruho. Maruho to Receive Exclusive Worldwide License on 4SC’s Preclinical Inhibitors of the Kv1.3 Ion Channel". Planegg-Martinsried.

> 4SC eligible for upfront and milestone payments totaling up to EUR 103 million, plus commercial milestones totaling up to an additional EUR 105 million and single-digit royalties on commercial sales

4SC AG (4SC, FSE Prime Standard: VSC) granted an exclusive worldwide license to Maruho Co., Ltd. (Maruho) on a preclinical compound class inhibiting the ion channel Kv1.3. Under the licensing agreement, 4SC will be eligible to receive upfront and milestone payments totaling up to EUR 103 million, plus commercial milestones totaling up to an additional EUR 105 million and single-digit royalties on commercial sales.

4SC’s Kv1.3 inhibitors

Kv1.3 is a voltage-gated ion channel which has diverse functions in various cell types and cellular mechanisms but plays an essential role in the activation and proliferation of T cells, a special type of immune cells. 4SC’s inhibitors of the Kv1.3 ion channel are designed to spare “normal” immune cells but to act on chronically stimulated cell populations thus addressing an underlying pathogenic principle in a multitude of autoimmune diseases.

Jason Loveridge, Ph.D., CEO of 4SC: “Our main goal over the next 3 years is to create significant value for our shareholders by executing on accelerated routes to market for our core cancer products: resminostat, 4SC-202 and 4SC-208. In line with our strategy we are very pleased to out-license our non-core program of Kv1.3 inhibitors to Maruho, a world leading company in the dermatology arena. We believe Maruho is an excellent partner for this program and are confident in their expertise, commitment and long-standing experience in clinical development to successfully advance the Kv1.3 project in a timely fashion. Revenues from this license agreement are in addition to funds recently secured in our successful capital increase.”

Summit Pharmaceuticals International, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, served as advisor to 4SC in connection with this transaction.

About 4SC

4SC AG is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing small-molecule drugs that can target key indications in cancer with high unmet medical needs. Such drugs are intended to provide patients with innovative treatment options that are more tolerable and efficacious than existing therapies and provide a better quality of life. 4SC’s core assets include resminostat, 4SC-202 and 4SC-208.

4SC’s pipeline is protected by a comprehensive portfolio of patents and comprises promising products that are in various stages of preclinical and clinical development. 4SC’s aim is to generate future growth and enhance its enterprise value by entering into partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and/or the eventual marketing and sales of approved drugs in select territories by 4SC itself. Founded in 1997, 4SC had 45 employees as of 12 June 2017. 4SC has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since December 2005.

About Maruho Co., Ltd.

Maruho has its headquarters in Osaka and leads Japan in research and development, manufacturing and commercialization of dermatological products. Founded in 1915, Maruho has 1,398 employees (as of the end of September 2016), and net sales were approximately 70.1 billion yen in its 2016 fiscal year. Pursuing its long-term corporate vision of “Excellence in Dermatology,” Maruho is striving to improve the health and quality of life of people all over the world.

For more information, please visit www.maruho.co.jp/english.

Forward-looking information

Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of 4SC as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond 4SC’s control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. 4SC expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Anna Niedl, Ph.D.
Phone: +49 89 700763-66
anna.niedl@4sc.com
Wolfgang Güssgen
Phone: +49 89 700763-73
wolfgang.guessgen@4sc.com