CombiGene AB (publ) (“CombiGene”, the “Company”) today announces that the Company, after a thorough evaluation process, has chosen the Charles River Laboratories (“Charles River”) as a partner in CombiGene's and Zyneyro's peptide-based pain project, COZY01. Charles River – a highly respected, global provider of drug discovery and non-clinical development solutions – will perform the preclinical toxicology studies necessary to start the first in-human studies within the COZY01 project.

In an evaluation of several contract research organizations (CROs), CombiGene has concluded that Charles River has the necessary resources and expertise to provide high quality studies adapted to the COZY01 program. In addition, the Charles River Edinburgh site has provided valuable scientific support and advice throughout the evaluation process. Charles River has a global business with leading experience in drug development and has access to extensive expertise, which provides the required security for a company of CombiGene’s size.

“It is very satisfying that we have now chosen Charles River as our partner in the COZY01 project. The fact that we have now chosen a CRO means that the COZY01 project has taken another important step towards the initiation of the toxicology studies that are carried out in order to be able to submit a clinical trial application,” says CombiGene's Senior Program Director Alvar Grönberg.

About the pain program COZY
The COZY pain program is being developed to offer effective pain relief without the side effects that current treatments often cause. This is possible as Zyneyro's researchers have identified a new biological mechanism of action that forms the basis for the COZY pain program. The mechanism of action was discovered by Zyneyro's researchers while they were still at the University of Copenhagen. The program consists of two projects: a peptide treatment (short-term treatment) and a gene therapy treatment with potentially lifelong effect. The patient's clinical picture and other factors will guide the choice of therapy, COZY01 or COZY02. The program is run jointly by CombiGene and Zyneyro and the project's costs and future revenues are shared equally between the two companies.

About Zyneyro ApS
Zyneyro was founded by a group of researchers from the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Copenhagen and a group of entrepreneurs who together have extensive experience in all aspects of early drug development and entrepreneurship. The company’s researchers have worked for more than 15 years to understand the ability of the brain and nervous system to adapt to the influence of the surrounding environment. Zyneyro's goal is to translate this knowledge of modulation of neuronal interaction into developing a number of drug candidates. The drug candidates included in the collaboration with CombiGene relate to the treatment of pain. Zyneyro also intends to develop other drug candidates for indications other than pain.