Oxford Biomedica plc, a leading gene and cell therapy group, announced today that it was informed on Monday 31 January by Sio Gene Therapies (Sio) that Sio intends to return the global rights for AXO-Lenti-PD and that they intend to cease work on this gene therapy programme in Parkinson’s Disease. This follows Sio’s announcement today about the resignation of their CEO where Sio also indicates a constraint on resource requirements that has caused Sio to deprioritise the programme. All rights shall be returned to Oxford Biomedica at no cost to the Company.  

Current status of programme
Sio is currently conducting a Phase 2 SUNRISE-PD trial with AXO-Lenti-PD. In October 2020, Sio announced positive six-month follow up data from the second cohort of the trial, showing a 21-point mean improvement in UPDRS Part III 'OFF' score, a 40% improvement from baseline based on the two evaluable patients in the study. AXO-Lenti-PD continued to be shown to be well-tolerated with no treatment-related serious adverse events at six months. To date, six patients have been dosed in the Phase 2 study. Oxford Biomedica originally out-licensed AXO-Lenti-PD (previously named OXB-102) to Sio Gene Therapies (previously called Axovant Gene Therapies), in June 2018.