Scipher Medicine and Galapagos sign collaboration in inflammatory bowel disease

-- Companies to jointly validate novel drug targets --
-- Scipher eligible for upfront, opt-in and milestone payments --
-- Galapagos to progress selected targets into drug discovery --

Mechelen, Belgium and Boston, USA; 12 August 2020 - Galapagos NV (Euronext & Nasdaq: GLPG) and Scipher Medicine (Scipher), a Boston based privately held precision medicine company focused on autoimmune diseases, today announce a collaboration to advance novel drug targets identified by Scipher for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
   
Scipher combines its proprietary Network Medicine Platform with molecular patient data and AI-based methods to identify novel targets and pathways in autoimmune diseases, including IBD.

Scipher and Galapagos will jointly validate a suite of novel IBD targets discovered by Scipher after which Galapagos has the exclusive option to progress up to five targets into further drug discovery and development. Under the terms of the agreement, Scipher is eligible to receive upfront, opt-in and milestone payments and Galapagos will retain the rights for the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutics for the selected target(s).

“Our breakthrough approach combines extensive patient-level molecular data with AI methods to discover novel targets with the potential to treat specific groups of patients, including those not responding to therapies currently available,” said Alif Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of Scipher Medicine. “This partnership with Galapagos is a recognition of our innovative approach to discover and validate novel targets that could offer a solution for IBD patients.”

“The collaboration with Scipher is aligned with our strategy to discover and develop novel modes of action medicines with the potential to disrupt current treatment paradigms to address high unmet needs in inflammatory diseases,” said Piet Wigerinck, Chief Scientific Officer of Galapagos. “We believe that our drug discovery and development expertise alongside Scipher’s platform will support us in the discovery of exciting new drug candidates.”

About Scipher Medicine
Scipher Medicine, a precision immunology company, holds the fundamental belief that patients deserve simple answers to treatment options based on scientifically backed data. Leveraging our proprietary Network Medicine platform and artificial intelligence, we commercialize blood tests identifying a patient’s unique molecular disease signature and match such signature to most effective therapy ensuring patients receive optimal treatment from day one. The unprecedented amount of patient molecular data generated from our tests further drives development of novel and more effective therapeutics. We partner with payers, providers and pharma along the health care value chain to bring precision medicine to autoimmune diseases.