WuXi STA and Regulus Announce microRNA Development and Manufacturing Collaboration

SHANGHAI, Feb. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- STA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (STA), a WuXi AppTec group company and the leading open-access capability and technology platform for small molecule pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, and Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: RGLS), a biopharmaceutical company leading the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs, announce they have entered into an oligonucleotide synthesis collaboration agreement for research and mid-scale non-GMP/cGMP manufacturing.

Under the agreement, STA will become a new strategic development and manufacturing partner for Regulus' preclinical and clinical programs of microRNA-targeting drugs used to treat a broad range of diseases. Regulus will provide STA with expertise, technical know-how, and training in the field of oligonucleotide scale-up.

STA recently established oligonucleotide R&D labs at both its facilities in San Diego, California and Changzhou, China. The state-of-the-art oligonucleotide GMP manufacturing facility at Changzhou will become operational later this year.

"We are excited to establish a high quality oligonucleotide R&D and manufacturing technology and capability platform, and it's a great honour to work with an innovative, pioneering company, such as Regulus. This partnership will allow STA to expedite Regulus' oligonucleotide therapeutics programs into the clinic, and eventually, to patients," said Dr. Minzhang Chen, CEO of STA Pharmaceutical. "Through our newly established global quality oligonucleotide platform, we strive to make life-saving oligonucleotide therapeutics more affordable and available to patients worldwide."

"By partnering with a well-respected, world-class organization like WuXi STA, we gain their commitment to support our long-term development and commercialization goals," said Jay Hagan, President and CEO of Regulus.

About Regulus Therapeutics Inc.

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: RGLS) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leading the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs. Regulus has leveraged its oligonucleotide drug discovery and development expertise to develop a well-balanced microRNA therapeutics pipeline complement by a rich intellectual property estate to retain its leadership in the microRNA field.  Regulus is advancing several programs in the renal, hepatic, and central nervous system diseases.  Regulus maintains its corporate headquarters in La Jolla, CA.  For more information, please visit http://www.regulusrx.com.

About STA

STA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (STA), a WuXi AppTec company, is a leading small molecule pharmaceutical development and manufacturing capability and technology platform company serving the life science industry, with operations in China and the United States. As a premier Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), STA offers our worldwide partners efficient, flexible and high-quality solutions for small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and finished dosage forms. For more information, please visit http://www.STApharma.com

About WuXi AppTec

WuXi AppTec is a leading global pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and medical device open-access capability and technology platform company with global operations. As an innovation-driven and customer-focused company, WuXi AppTec provides a broad and integrated portfolio of services to help our worldwide customers and partners shorten the discovery and development time and lower the cost of drug and medical device R&D through cost-effective and efficient solutions. With its industry-leading capabilities such as small molecule R&D and manufacturing, cell therapy and gene therapy R&D and manufacturing, and medical device testing, WuXi platform is enabling over 3,000 innovative collaborators from more than 30 countries to bring innovative healthcare products to patients, and to fulfill WuXi's dream that "every drug can be made and every disease can be treated." Please visit http://www.wuxiapptec.com

SOURCE WuXi AppTec