Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in $25 million pact with Altus Biologics

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation says that its drug developmentsubsidiary, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, has formed an alliance with Altus Biologics to speed up the development of a new drug, TheraCLEC-Total, to treat pancreatic insufficiency, a condition that affects most people with CF. Under the terms of the deal, CFFT will provide Altus with up to $25 million in grant funding as well as access to its Therapeutics Development Network.

TheraCLEC-Total is being developed as an orally-delivered enzyme product to replace missing digestive enzymes in people with CF, and is based on Altus' proprietary Crystalomics technology. Preclinical studies of TheraCLEC-Total have produced early positive results, and human clinical trials are expected to begin in late-2001 or early-2002. Robert Beall, chief executive of the CF Foundation, said that pancreatic insufficiency is a significant complication for people living with cystic fibrosis, and "if TheraCLEC-Total fulfills its promise in future clinical trials, the compound will mark a significant improvement in treatment over current enzyme therapies."