Paris, February 7th 2017 – Acticor Biotech, a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, today announced that it has raised €1,5M from CapDecisif Management. Acticor Biotech had already secured €1,4M in the first closing, which brings the total amount invested to €2,9M.

This new fund will enable Acticor Biotech to pursue the development of its lead candidate ACT017 in Acute Ischemic Stroke, toward its entry in Phase I Clinical Trial.

Thanks to encouraging pre-clinical results and positive regulatory meetings, Acticor Biotech should start its Phase I 6 months earlier than originally planned. The first subject could thus be scheduled for early Q4 2017.

In January 2017, the society received a positive feedback from the MHRA (UK Medicine & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) in London about its pharmaceutical and preclinical package, and secured its first GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) Batch for the Toxicology Package.

Gilles Avenard, CEO of Acticor Biotech, commented: “This second closing will support the finalization of our preclinical package for our Drug Candidate ACT017 and will allow our lead candidate to enter into Clinical Phase I in Q4 2017. This new financing represents a new significant milestone for the company, after the signature of a R&D Partnership Agreement with Mediolanum farmaceutici at the end of 2016. We thank CapDecisif Management for their confidence in our stroke-treatment technology and welcome them on Board.”

Prof Mikael Mazighi, from INSERM and member of Acticor’s clinical advisory board added: “I am looking forward to seeing ACT-017 entering Ph.1. Acticor’s therapeutic approach is promising as add-on therapy to thrombolysis, totally in line and compatible with mechanical thrombectomy, the current paradigm shift we are experiencing in treating Acute Ischemic Stroke. ACT-017 may improve this current breakthrough thanks to its antithrombotic properties and its safety profile, a paramount in Acute Ischemic Stroke.”

Catherine Boule, Partner of CapDecisif Management, commented: “Following Acticor’s progress since its early inception, we are impressed by the delivery of the team, gaining 6 months in its planning. We are delighted to invest in Acticor Biotech at such an important time for the company and to finance the first in man of its drug candidate. ACT-017 has the potential to be a game changing drug in the major area of Acute Ischemic Stroke, global unmet medical need in which the latest drug was approved 20 years ago.”

About Ischemic stroke

Stroke is now the second cause of death in industrialized countries (6 million deaths worldwide), the second cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease and the leading cause of acquired disability in adults. In Europe and in the US, the annual incidence of stroke is estimated at more than 1 500 000 cases. This devastating disease is responsible for health and economic needs that current treatments do not address. In fact, less than 15% of patients can be treated with thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy. Therefore, it is urgent to promote new therapeutic, innovative, safe and effective strategies for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. New antiplatelet drug represents a unique opportunity to increase the efficacy of acute stroke therapies with reduced adverse events.

About ACT-017, the therapeutic candidate

Acticor is developing ACT-017, a humanized Antibody Fragment (Fab). The therapeutic candidate is directed against a novel target of major interest, platelet glycoprotein VI (GPVI), and inhibits its action. Evidence of antithrombotic efficacy of ACT-017 and safety of inhibition of GPVI have been established both ex vivo and in vivo. The target is involved in the growth of the thrombus, but not in physiological hemostasis. This limits the bleeding risk associated with its inhibition.

About CapDecisif Management

CapDecisif Management is a Venture Capital investment company approved by the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority).
Their team is active since 2002 and investing in Life Science, Digital and Engineering startups with high growth potential.
CapDecisif is supported by the French National Seed Fund, managed by Bpifrance investment within the framework of the “Investissements d’Avenir”, and Paris Region.
For more information, go to: www.cap-decisif.com

Contacts:
Acticor Biotech:
Gilles Avenard
Chief Executive Officer
gilles.avenard@acticor-biotech.com

Media – NewCap:
Annie-Florence Loyer
afloyer@newcap.fr
+33(0) 1 44 71 00 12 / +33(0) 6 88 20 35 59

CapDecisif Management: Catherine Boule, Baudouin Hue
Investors Legal advisors: Anne-Charlotte Rivière-Wilson, Pierre-Henri Brieau (Dechert LLP)
IP advisory: Claire Verschelde (ICOSA)
Audit: Frédéric Girault (Fischbach & Associés)
Corporate Legal advisors: Anthony Paroneau, Ali Afshar Saber (McDermott Will & Emery)