Henderson, NV 89074, US
Biotechnology
www.equon.com
Equon’s mission is to develop innovative pharmaceuticals offering symptomatic relief from the swelling, tissue damage and pain caused by a variety of inflammatory conditions including Late Phase Asthmatic Response and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Equon is primed to move its antibodies into pre-clinical trials in preparation for FDA approval treating both Rheumatoid Arthritis and Late Phase Asthmatic Response. Due to the nature of many other autoimmune conditions, it is highly likely that Equon’s antibodies will be able to treat other conditions, expanding the market opportunities.
The estimated market size for those that suffer from Late Phase Asthmatic Response is 2.3 million people and there is currently no competition in the marketplace for a preventative solution such as the one Equon is proposing. Today individuals who suffer from this type of response need to seek immediate medical attention to restore the ability to breathe. When the antibodies are taken by the patient on a monthly basis, it will prevent the late phase asthmatic response from happening within the body. The target is to have FDA approval by 2019 and achieve a 25% penetration rate by 2021 with an annual sales target of $673 M.
Rheumatoid Arthritis impacts an estimate of 1.5 million people. There is substantial competition in the space including drugs such as Humira. However, most of the drugs offered to treat patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis have significant side effects including but not limited to the development of cancer and in severe cases death. Equon’s antibodies will be able to provide a much safer solution with the expectation of minimal side effects. Equon forecasts FDA approval by year end 2020 and will achieve a 25% penetration rate into the market by 2023 with an annual sales estimate of $661 M.
The antibody development will be following a specific series of development of which would be incredibly challenging for competitors to replicate. Some of the keys areas are the human fusion partners, a series of proteins along with the time necessary to gain FDA approval. It is for these reasons Equon will not be submitting a patent and will be keeping this process a trade secret.
Asthma is a disorder of airway behavior, in which there is a persistent, overactive bronchoconstriction response to a variety of stimuli. In most cases the cause behind the attack is the body’s over deployment of histamines which causes swelling in the throat and lungs. After an Asthma attack the body eventually returns to normal. However, for 4-10% of people a few hours later another more powerful attack occurs. This is known as a Late Phase Asthmatic Response and this is not histamine related, but rather is marked by the deployment of Eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, deep into the lung tissue which causes significant inflammation. This typically requires seeking immediate medical attention to breathe.
Equon proposes an injectable therapeutic to be taken on a monthly basis which prevents the Eosinophils from causing inflammation in the lung tissue, thereby preventing a serious threat to health and avoiding significant trauma to the body.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (“RA”) is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and eventual erosion of the joints. The disease is known to be incredibly painful and may lead to severe joint deformities, profound disabilities and even death. RA worsens over time due to the impacts of swelling.
Equon proposes an injectable therapeutic taken on a monthly basis to prevent the inflammation associated with RA, thereby avoiding the damage and deformation of the joints associated with this condition. The antibodies will act as a prophylactic to block the progress of the inflammatory cascade.
There is considerable competition in the market, however, the most common treatments prescribed have significant side effects including the development of cancer and in some cases death. Equon’s differentiating factor is to have far less side effects and to avoid the effects of suppressing the immune system.
Additional applications for the proposed VLA-4 Antagonist are widely known; plaque psoriasis, uveitis, multiple sclerosis, arterial reperfusion injury and others. It is expected that Equon’s VLA-4 Antagonist will be an important addition to the therapeutic treatments available for these conditions based on expected efficacy, ease of use, lack of side effects and lower costs. Other conditions that are currently designated for Orphan Drug Status present very similar pathologies as Equon’s first two indications. It is not yet known if our VLA-4 Antagonist will be effective for these Orphan Drug candidates, but we believe all indications are that they will be and we will pursue approvals and trials as soon as practical for the company.
Mr. Taxson has over 40 years of business experience, the last twenty as Principal of Biotech Realty
Partnerships, a biotech development consulting group. Mr. Taxson was actively involved in the
planning and development of laboratory and production facilities, and worked closely with senior
management officials to coordinate such activities with overall corporate and financial goals. Mr.
Taxson’s experience encompasses a client list that includes Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Cytel
Corporation, Corvas International and Tanabe Research Laboratories (U.S.A.). Mr. Taxson also
recently served as Vice President, Business Development for Hygeia Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
biotechnology company engaged in the development of human monoclonal antibody therapeutics
targeted against various forms of cancer.