Santen, Inc.

Merck sold off its ophthalmology business to Akorn Pharmaceuticals and Japan's Santen in deals in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Merck & Co. is focusing in on eye diseases with the $3 billion acquisition of ophthalmology-focused Eyebiotech. The deal features $1.3 billion in cash up front and $1.7 billion in potential milestones. Merck will take on a pipeline of vision loss candidates, including lead asset Restoret, also known as EYE103, which is poised to enter a phase 2b/3 trial for diabetic macular edema (DME). The therapy is a tetravalent, tri-specific antibody that acts as an agonist of the Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) signaling pathway, according to a Wednesday press release. Restoret has already been tested in a phase 1b/2a trial called AMARONE in DME and neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The phase 2b/3 test is slated to begin in the second half of this year. Privately held EyeBio emerged just three years ago to advance a retinal disease therapy developed by David Guyer, M.D. He currently serves as CEO and will move over to Merck in the transaction, along with Chief Scientific Officer Tony Adamis, M.D. “As a subsidiary of Merck, EyeBio will be positioned to tap into the resources and infrastructure needed to support the clinical, regulatory and commercial development of these candidates and help bring them to patients worldwide,” Guyer said in a statement. Merck sold off part of its ophthalmology business to Akorn Pharmaceuticals in 2013 in a $52.8 million deal that included a handful of approved products. The following year, Merck sold certain rights to its eye drugs to Japan's Santen for $600 million up front. The pharma giant has made some efforts to build out a portfolio in eye diseases more recently. However, the journey through the clinic has been difficult. The New Jersey pharma walked away from the bulk of a partnership with NGM Biopharmaceuticals in 2022 after a phase 2 failure. The companies had been developing NGM621, an anti-complement C3 antibody being trialed in patients with an eye degenerative disease called geographic atrophy.

New Program Targets Estimated $2.5 Billion Eye Pain MarketFREEHOLD, N.J., March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chromocell Therapeutics Corp. (“Chromocell”, or the “Company”), (NYSE American: CHRO), a pioneer in the development of non-opioid pain treatment therapeutics, today announced that it has formally launched its eye pain treatment program with the hiring of Dr. Simon Chandler. The Company believes its sodium channel, NaV1.7 program will be suitable for an array of eye pain indications. Common acute eye pain indications include corneal foreign body damage or abrasion, acute angle closure glaucoma and post-surgical sequelae. Chronic eye pain indications include autoimmune diseases, dry eye and neuropathic etiologies. Chromocell’s platform uniquely targets the NaV1.7 channels on the cornea with the ability to treat all eye pain indications. “The launch of our eye pain treatment program represents a significant milestone for the Company. Eye pain indications are currently under-served for treatment options, and we believe, based on the data from our programs which address various forms of systemic chronic pain using the same mechanism, that targeting NaV1.7 sodium channels in the cornea represents a viable, safe and effective treatment paradigm for eye pain,” said Frank Knuettel, CEO of Chromocell. “Moreover, the market opportunity in these under-served markets is considerable. As an example, we estimate that there are roughly 5 million corneal abrasions annually in the United States, representing an estimated market opportunity of roughly $2.5 billion. I welcome Dr. Chandler and look forward to working with him as he guides this program towards providing much needed, effective treatment options to sufferers of eye pain in the United States and globally,” he added. Dr. Chandler is well suited to manage the program, with over 30 years of experience in managing ophthalmic drug development programs. He has a Ph.D in Epigenetics and had a post-doctoral position at the NIH studying molecular embryology. With posts at Santen, ISTA, B&L, Allergan and Vyluma, he has successfully developed several drugs in the areas of glaucoma, and post-surgical eye pain, such as Durysta for Glaucoma and Bromday in pain and inflammation post cataract surgery. About Chromocell Therapeutics Corp. Chromocell Therapeutics Corporation is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing novel, non-opioid, non-addictive therapeutics to alleviate pain and other associated medical conditions. The Company’s initial clinical focus is to selectively target the sodium ion-channel known as NaV1.7 for the treatment of various types of chronic neuropathic pain and eye pain. The Company’s portfolio also includes pre-clinical work on other sodium channel receptor subtypes, and the Company intends to explore these and other compounds for the treatment of additional pain indications. For company updates and to learn more about Chromocell, visit www.chromocell.com or follow us on social media. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s current expectations. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, references to the Company’s expectations regarding (i) the Company’s belief that its portfolio of therapeutics will be suitable for an array of eye pain indications, (ii) the Company’s belief that the market opportunity in under-served markets is considerable and (iii) the Company's intent to explore certain compounds for the treatment of pain indications. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to (i) the Company expending its limited resources to pursue a compound or indication and failing to capitalize on different compounds or indications that may be more profitable or for which there is a greater likelihood of success and the Company potentially not being successful in discovering, developing and commercializing additional compounds, (ii) the Company needing to establish its market development capabilities to commercialize its products with the failure to do so potentially resulting in an inability to generate any revenue, (iii) the Company facing significant competition and its competitors potentially achieving regulatory approval before the Company or developing therapies that are more advanced or effective than the Company’s, which may adversely affect the Company’s financial condition, (iv) the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain adequate U.S. and foreign patent protection for its compounds, the Company facing litigation or administrative proceedings by a third-party over its patents, changes in U.S. or foreign patent law or interpretation thereof diminishing the value of its patents, and the Company’s ability to protect the confidentiality of its trade secrets, (v) third-parties instituting patent litigation against the Company in the U.S. or a foreign jurisdiction asserting that CC8464 and/or additional lead compounds infringe its patent rights, the outcome of which would be uncertain and could have a material adverse effect on the success of the Company’s business, (vi) there being no guarantee that the results from prior clinical and preclinical studies will be indicative of the Company’s ability to complete studies or the results to be obtained in the current or future studies and clinical trials and (vii) the Company’s ability to retain key employees and scientific advisors and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section captioned “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (SEC File No. 333-269188). Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Chromocell Media and Investor Inquires: LR Advisors LLC.Jason Assad678-570-6791Jason@Chromocell.com

WOBURN, Mass., Dec. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HanAll Biopharma's partner NurrOn Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel, targeted therapeutics for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other Nurr1-related human disorders, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Almira Chabi, MD, EGMP to its Board of Directors, effective November 24, 2023. Dr. Chabi who is currently Chief Medical Officer and Chief Development Officer at HanAll Pharmaceutical International brings a wealth of experience and expertise to NurrOn's board with a successful track record as a physician-scientist with deep experiences as an executive as well as board member. Dr. Chabi has led programs across multiple therapeutic areas including neurology, immunology, oncology, and ophthalmology as well as applications of artificial intelligence. She is also serving on the Scientific and Medical Research Funding Grants Working Group at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Chabi previously held the position of Vice President and Global Therapeutic Area Head for Glaucoma & Neuroprotection as well as Lead for Artificial Intelligence Programs at Santen. Prior to Santen, she worked at Genentech including a senior role on a pivotal Phase III program encompassing over 20 countries. Dr. Chabi began her pharmaceutical career at Merck in the Neuroscience & Ophthalmology Clinical Research Group, working on a range of projects within Ophthalmology as well as Neuroscience leading to multiple successful NDA filings. In addition to expertise in drug discovery and development, as well as biomarker and device development, she has been extensively involved in due diligences for business development and venture capital teams. Dr. Chabi is also an alumna of Wharton Business School's Executive Management Program and has served as a board representative for multiple companies. "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Almira Chabi, to our Board of Directors. She possesses a unique blend of skills and insights that will undoubtedly contribute to the strategic direction and success of NurrOn Pharmaceuticals," said Deog Joong Kim, Ph.D, CEO of NurrOn Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Chabi expressed enthusiasm about joining NurrOn and shared, "I am honored to be a part of NurrOn's Board of Directors. NurrOn is a company that has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to discovering and developing innovative treatments that have the potential to improve clinical outcomes for Parkinson's patients. I look forward to working collaboratively with the board and the executive team to contribute to the continued growth and success of the organization." Dr. Chabi joins an esteemed group of professionals on the NurrOn Board, and her appointment aligns with the company's strategic goals for the future. About NurrOn Pharmaceuticals NurrOn Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel, targeted therapeutics for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other Nurr1-related incurable human disorders. Through targeting Nurr1, the master regulator for dopaminergic neuron development and maintenance, we aim to develop a paradigm changing PD treatment to improve patients' quality of life. While currently there are only symptomatic treatment options for patients with PD, there have not been any successful therapies to slow or prevent the progression of the disease. We believe that disease-modifying therapies will be achieved through targeting Nurr1, which has generated supportive data as a new druggable PD target. NurrOn was awarded a substantial grant from Michael J. Fox Foundation in support of the Phase 1 clinical trial of ATH-399A/HL192, that initiated in the second half of 2023. For further information on NurrOn Pharmaceuticals, please visit our official website or contact [email protected]. About HanAll Biopharma HanAll Biopharma (KRX: 009420.KS) is a global biopharmaceutical company with presence in Korea, the USA, Japan, and Indonesia with a mission of making meaningful contributions to patients' lives by introducing innovative, impactful medicines to address severe unmet medical needs. HanAll has been operating a portfolio of pharmaceutical products for 50 years. HanAll has also expanded its focus in recent years to immunology, oncology, neurology, and ophthalmology to discover and develop innovative medicines for patients with diseases for which there are no effective treatments. Its lead pipeline asset, HL161 (INN: batoclimab), an anti-FcRn antibody, is being developed in Phase 3 and Phase 2 trials across the world for the treatment of autoimmune diseases including generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), thyroid eye disease (TED), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and Graves' disease (GD). Another main asset, HL036 (INN: tanfanercept), a TNF-alpha inhibitor protein, is under development in Phase 3 clinical studies in the US for the treatment of dry eye disease. For further information, visit our website and connect with us on LinkedIn. For any media inquiries, please contact HanAll PR/IR ([email protected], [email protected]). SOURCE HanAll Biopharma