BIND Therapeutics Co-Founders Demonstrate Ability to Cross Biological Barriers with Targeted Therapeutic Nanoparticles

BIND Therapeutics Co-Founders Demonstrate Ability to Cross Biological Barriers with Targeted Therapeutic Nanoparticles

Data Published in Science Translational Medicine Offer Potential New Applications for BIND's Medicinal Nanoengineering Platform

November 27, 2013 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BIND Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIND), a clinical-stage nanomedicine platform company developing targeted and programmable therapeutics called AccurinsTM, announced today that the company's co-founders have published data demonstrating the successful engineering of targeted nanoparticles to cross biological barriers, such as the intestinal barrier, and enter the bloodstream, potentially broadening future therapeutic applications for BIND's Medicinal Nanoengineering platform.

"Transepithelial Transport of Fc-Targeted Nanoparticles by the Neonatal Fc Receptor for Oral Delivery"

In a paper entitled, "Transepithelial Transport of Fc-Targeted Nanoparticles by the Neonatal Fc Receptor for Oral Delivery," published in the November 27, 2013 online issue of Science Translational Medicine, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology David Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, including BIND's co-founders Robert Langer Sc.D., and Omid Farokhzad, M.D., demonstrated the ability to enhance the surface properties of the nanoparticle to target the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), a transport receptor present on the plasma membrane of cells that form many of the biological barriers in the body including: intestinal epithelial barrier, pulmonary epithelial barrier, blood-brain barrier, fetal-placental barrier, and blood-ocular barrier. The FcRn function is to shuttle Immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules across biological barriers that are otherwise impermeable to IgG. Taking advantage of the biological properties of the FcRn as a model transcellular trafficking receptor, the investigators demonstrated for the first time, proof of concept in a preclinical model that targeted therapeutic nanoparticles can exploit biological transport pathways and gain access to biological compartments that are otherwise impermeable to nanoparticles and other macromolecules. The FcRn-targeted nanoparticles were shown in an animal model to cross the intestinal epithelial barrier after oral administration and enter the systemic circulation, displaying an absorption efficiency that enabled uptake of therapeutic dose levels. As expected, the FcRn-mediated nanoparticle absorption was lost in animals deficient in FcRn expression. Using insulin as a model large molecular weight drug with minimal oral bioavailability, the FcRn-targeted nanoparticles were able to significantly increase insulin bioavailability resulting in plasma glucose modulation.

"BIND has used its Medicinal Nanoengineering platform to produce a pipeline of Accurins, including its proprietary lead drug candidate, BIND-014, currently in Phase 2 clinical trials in non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, and partnered Accurins through our collaborations initiated in 2013 with Amgen, Pfizer and AstraZeneca," said Scott Minick, BIND's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The current findings are expected to significantly broaden the reach of our platform and present opportunities to non-invasively administer Accurins of large molecular weight drugs, such as proteins and RNA, for a myriad of human diseases."

"Up to this point, biological barriers present in the human body, such as the intestinal epithelial lining, the blood brain barrier, and the mucosa of the lungs and eyes, have hindered absorption of nanoparticles. By targeting the neonatal Fc receptor, our founders have demonstrated the ability to successfully engineer targeted therapeutic nanoparticles that cross biological barriers and enter the bloodstream at therapeutic levels, which we believe could pave the road for opportunities for Accurin therapeutics for a myriad of other biological applications," said Jeff Hrkach, Ph.D., BIND's Senior Vice President of Technology, Research and Development.

About BIND Therapeutics

BIND Therapeutics is a clinical-stage nanomedicine platform company developing Accurins, its novel targeted therapeutics. BIND intends to leverage its Medicinal Nanoengineering platform to develop a pipeline of Accurins, initially in oncology, as well as Accurins in collaboration with biopharmaceutical companies. BIND's lead drug candidate, BIND-014, is an Accurin that targets PSMA and contains docetaxel, a clinically-validated and widely used cancer chemotherapy drug. BIND-014 is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. To date in 2013, BIND has announced collaborations with Amgen, Inc., Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca AB to develop Accurins based on therapeutic payloads from their product pipelines. BIND's platform originated from the pioneering nanotechnology research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School of BIND's scientific founders and directors Dr. Robert Langer and Dr. Omid Farokhzad. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.bindtherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the potential impact of the engineering of targeted nanoparticles to cross biological barriers on the therapeutic applications for BIND's medicinal nanoengineering platform and on the future treatment of diseases, the reach of our medicinal nanoengineering platform and the opportunities for Accurin therapeutics for biological applications.

These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our limited operating history and expectation of losses for the foreseeable future; our need for additional funding; uncertainties regarding our development efforts and the outcomes of studies of our products; our reliance on collaborations with other biopharmaceutical companies to develop Accurins based on therapeutic payloads from their current pipelines; our complete reliance on third-party manufacturers and third parties to conduct all our clinical trials and manufacture of drug candidates; our inability to obtain regulatory approval for our existing or future product candidates; unanticipated safety or efficacy concerns; the failure of our drug candidates to achieve market success; our inability to obtain or enforce patent protection for our products; our inability to establish effective sales, marketing and distribution capabilities; our failure to comply with regulatory requirements; the ability of our officers, directors and principal stockholders to control matters submitted to stockholders for approval; and these and the other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on November 5, 2013, and our other reports filed with the SEC. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

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