Galapagos receives EUR2.4 million IWT grant for psoriasis research

MECHELEN, BELGIUM–(Marketwired – Jul 8, 2013) – Galapagos NV (
EURONEXT BRUSSELS:
GLPG) announced today that it has been
awarded a EUR2.4 million TGO (transformational medical research)
grant from the Flemish agency for Innovation by Science and
Technology (IWT) for psoriasis research and development. The goal
of this 4-year project is to bring a novel mode of action compound
into the clinic that might lead to a safe and effective treatment
for patients suffering from psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common skin disease with a high impact on
well-being and for which options for patient are currently limited.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease, affecting approximately 3% of the
population. It has no final cure and therefore represents a high
burden to quality of life.

Galapagos has discovered a compound series which presents a
novel mode of action in psoriasis. This 4-year IWT funded research
program will explore the potential application of this compound
series in disease models for psoriasis, both in preclinical systems
as well as in a clinical setting. After the discovery phase,
Galapagos will initiate clinical trials with this innovative, oral
compound for psoriasis by using an adaptive trial design, with the
aim of achieving an efficiency gain in development costs and
timelines. In the clinic, pharmacodynamic assessments will be
evaluated in healthy volunteers by mimicking inflammation
characteristics in a Proof-of-Mechanism study. Galapagos will
collaborate in this project with Professor Dr Jo Lambert at Ghent
University.

“We are very pleased with this IWT grant, which really
underscores how IWT supports innovation by biotechnology companies.
This grant makes it possible to work towards a novel therapy which
will hopefully improve the quality of life of psoriasis patients,”
said Piet Wigerinck, CSO of Galapagos. “Together with GSK2586184,
inlicensed by GlaxoSmithKline in 2012, we expect to have two drugs
in development for psoriasis within two years.”

About Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease that affects the skin.
It is caused by the immune system being mistakenly triggered,
resulting in overproduction of new skin cells. The cause is not
fully understood, but it is believed to have a genetic component
and certain medications and infections are well-known risk factors.
Psoriasis affects approximately 3% of people globally and it can
occur at any age, although it most commonly appears for the first
time between the ages of 15 and 25 years. There are five types of
psoriasis with the most common form being plaque psoriasis,
characterized by red patches covered by a silvery white scale
appearing on the top first layer of the skin. Psoriasis can also
cause inflammation of the joints, which is known as psoriatic
arthritis, affecting between 10-30% of all people with psoriasis.
Psoriasis is typically a lifelong condition and there is currently
no cure, but various treatments can help to control the symptoms.
Treating moderate to severe psoriasis usually involves a
combination of treatment strategies: topical treatments, light
therapy and/or systemic medications, including biologic drugs.

About IWT

The agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (abbreviated
as IWT) is the government agency founded in 1991 by the Flemish
Government to support technological innovation projects in
Flanders. Each year IWT distributes about EUR 300 million in
subsidies for innovation projects to companies, organizations,
research and educational institutions in Flanders. In addition to
financial support, IWT also assists companies by, for instance
helping them find the right information or the right partners at
home or abroad, providing assistance with the preparation of
projects for European programmes and with technology transfer
throughout Europe. IWT also has an important coordination mandate
aimed at promoting close cooperation among all the actors involved
in technological innovation in Flanders. IWT
Monitoring&Analysis, M&A for short, monitors innovation and
regularly publishes studies. For more information, please visit
http://www.iwt.beor call +32 2 209
09 00.

About Galapagos

Galapagos (
EURONEXT BRUSSELS:
GLPG) (
PINKSHEETS:
GLPYY) is specialized in novel
modes-of-action, with a large pipeline of five clinical, six
pre-clinical, and 30 discovery small-molecule and antibody programs
in cystic fibrosis, inflammation, antibiotics, metabolic disease,
and other indications.

GLPG0634 is an orally-available, selective inhibitor of JAK1 for
the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and potentially other
inflammatory diseases, currently in Phase 2B studies in RA and
about to enter Phase 2 studies in Crohn’s disease. AbbVie and
Galapagos signed a worldwide license agreement whereby AbbVie will
be responsible for further development and commercialization after
Phase 2B. Galapagos has another selective JAK1 inhibitor in Phase 2
in lupus and psoriasis, GSK2586184 (formerly GLPG0778, in-licensed
by GlaxoSmithKline in 2012). GLPG0187 is a novel integrin receptor
antagonist currently in a Phase 1B patient study in metastasis.
GLPG0974 is the first inhibitor of FFA2 to be evaluated clinically
for the treatment of IBD; this program is currently in a Proof of
Concept Phase 2 study. GLPG1205 is a first-in-class molecule that
targets inflammatory disorders and is currently in a First-in-Human
Phase 1 study.

The Galapagos Group, including fee-for-service companies
BioFocus, Argenta and Fidelta, has 800 employees and operates
facilities in five countries, with global headquarters in Mechelen,
Belgium. Further information at:
www.glpg.com

Galapagos forward-looking statements

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without limitation, statements containing the words “believes,”
“anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,”
“may,” “will,” “could,” “stands to,” and “continues,” as well as
similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements may involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which
might cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or
achievements of Galapagos, or industry results, to be materially
different from any historic or future results, financial
conditions, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, the
reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date of publication of this document. Galapagos
expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such
forward-looking statements in this document to reflect any change
in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based,
unless required by law or regulation.

Galapagos receives EUR2.4 million IWT grant for psoriasis
research:

http://hugin.info/133350/R/1714719/569511.pdf

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Source: Galapagos NV via Thomson Reuters ONE

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