Raptor Pharmaceuticals Acquires Orphan Clinic...(gement ofcystinosis stated Dr. Christop...)

Nicholas Stergis, founder and former Vice Chairman of Encode, stated, "Having founded Encode over five years ago, I am pleased to execute this transaction with Raptor's team. We have been very impressed with the Raptor management team's broad expertise, sound development strategy, and the successful track record in advancing orphan designated therapies to commercialization."

With its acquisition of Encode, Bennu obtained intellectual property rights related to EC Cysteamine, including an exclusive worldwide license to develop and market a product which has received orphan status. Ranjan Dohil, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, will remain the lead clinical investigator for the ongoing cystinosis trial.

"Although cysteamine bitartrate has been approved for nephropathic cystinosis in both the U.S. and E.U. since 1994, optimal dosing has been limited by the required frequency of ingestion and associated gastrointestinal symptoms," stated Dr. Dohil. "Through the generous and untiring support of the Cystinosis Research Foundation over the past five years, we have been able to undertake studies which have culminated in our ongoing clinical study using an enteric-release preparation of cysteamine bitartate. Preliminary clinical data has shown that EC Cysteamine improves gastrointestinal tolerance and absorption, which may allow for less frequent dosing compared to currently marketed cystinosis treatments. Enteric-coated cysteamine could increase compliance and utilization to expand the treatment population of nephropathic cystinosis patients. Improvements in patient tolerability also open the door for new clinical studies to evaluate the product's e
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