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Lyon, Paris, France – 20th October 2022 – 6pm CEST – Theranexus, a biopharmaceutical company innovating in the treatment of neurological diseases and pioneer in the development of drug candidates modulating the interaction between neurons and glial cells, and Inserm Transfert, the technology transfer office and private subsidiary of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), have today announced the signing of a strategic alliance for the identification of potential targets and advanced therapy drug candidates for treating rare neurological diseases.

The goal of the alliance is to enable Theranexus to benefit from preferential early access to the technologies developed by Inserm in a bid to treat rare neurological diseases with advanced therapy drugs. This agreement will help place Theranexus a phase ahead of novel targets that are identified by Inserm's research teams and can be addressed by RNA-based or antisense oligonucleotide therapies. The company will also benefit from the expertise of the Nucleic Acids: Natural and Artificial Regulations laboratory (ARNA, Inserm U1212, CNRS 5320, University of Bordeaux joint unit) within the European Institute of Chemistry and Biology in Bordeaux, a pioneer in the design and synthesis of innovative antisense oligonucleotide-type drug candidates.

The alliance underscores Inserm Transfert's strategy of developing hubs of technological innovation to produce disruptive innovations within Inserm laboratories. Since 2014, Inserm Transfert has invested more than a million euros in projects launched from the "Antisense Oligonucleotide Hub" within the ARNA unit. The hub facilitates the generation and subsequent optimization of antisense oligonucleotide products for innovative therapeutic targets identified by Inserm researchers all over France.

The assets identified within this alliance may be made available to Theranexus under license agreements or options to proceed with their validation and development, particularly through its advanced therapy drug discovery platform. Theranexus is aiming for the first active ingredient to add to its pipeline of projects under development in 18 months.

In consideration for this preferential access, Inserm Transfert will benefit from Theranexus' support for the maturation of innovative and entrepreneurship projects in the field of neurosciences. Inserm Transfert can leverage the expertise of Theranexus teams to develop these projects. The agreement is set for a 3-years period.

"We are delighted to collaborate with Inserm, a leading name in French and global biomedical research, through its technology transfer office, Inserm Transfert. Thanks to this agreement, we have access to Inserm’s research for identifying and characterizing novel targets and RNA or antisense oligonucleotide candidates for treating patients with neurological diseases. This flagship agreement is perfectly in line with our strategy to develop medicinal products blocking the progression of rare neurological diseases such as Batten-1, our Phase I/II agent in Batten disease," explains Franck Mouthon, Chairman and CEO of Theranexus.

"Inserm Transfert is proud to launch this alliance with Theranexus. It will provide an opportunity to undertake joint actions for the benefit of Inserm's scientists and the development of their innovative projects. This alliance is in line with Inserm Transfert's aim to create value in partnership with biotech firms such as Theranexus. It underlines the scientific quality of projects from Inserm and its academic partners and aims, thanks to the support of economic stakeholders, to identify novel treatments and ultimately advance research on rare neurological diseases, an area that affects more than 300 million people worldwide and represents major unmet medical needs," concludes Pascale Augé, Chairman of the Inserm Transfert Executive Management Board

About Theranexus
Theranexus is an innovative biopharmaceutical company that emerged from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). It specializes in the treatment of central nervous system disorders and is a pioneer in the development of drug candidates targeting both neurons and glial cells.
Theranexus has a unique drug candidate identification and characterization platform focused on rare neurological disorders and an initial drug candidate in clinical development for Batten disease.
Theranexus is listed on the Euronext Growth market in Paris (FR0013286259- ALTHX).
For more information, please visit: http://www.theranexus.com

About Inserm Transfert
Inserm Transfert, the private subsidiary of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), is responsible for the value creation of innovations at Inserm and its academic partners in human health and promotes long-term technology transfers in line with international best practices. Inserm Transfert SA was founded in 2000. It manages, under a Public Service Management Contract (Concession de Service Public), the entire promotion and transfer of knowledge emerging from the Inserm research laboratories to the industrial world, from invention disclosure to industrial partnerships and startups incorporation. Inserm Transfert also offers services relating to setting up and managing national, European and international projects, as well as supporting the technology transfer of clinical research and health data/databases and cohorts. In 2009, Inserm Transfert and Inserm established an investment fund to finance proofs of concept. In 2005, Inserm Transfert Initiative, a dedicated seed money fund for life sciences, was created. Since 2017 a pathway for pre-entrepreneurship supports researchers/inventors who aspire to become involved in entrepreneurship.
For more information, please visit: www.inserm-transfert.com

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Contacts :

THERANEXUS
Thierry LAMBERT
Directeur financier et administratif
contact@theranexus.com

FP2COM
Florence PORTEJOIE
Relations médias
+ 33 (0)6 07 76 82 83
fportejoie@fp2com.fr

NEWCAP
Théo MARTIN/Pierre LAURENT
Relations Investisseurs
+33 (0)1 44 71 94 97
theranexus@newcap.eu

INSERM TRANSFERT
AGENCE ACORELIS
Gilles PETITOT - gilles.petitot@acorelis.com
Tél. : +33 (0)6 20 27 65 94
Ingrid HARGOT - communication@inserm-transfert.fr
Tél : +33 1 55 03 01 44