Ipsen retains options to develop therapies discovered using partner’s Nancyclix technology.

Oncodesign could receive up to $149 million from Ipsen as part of the firms’ collaboration to discover and develop LRRK2 kinase inhibitors against Parkinson disease and potentially other disorders. The partnership is founded on LLRK2 inhibitors originating from Oncodesign’s Nanocyclix™ medicinal chemistry technology for developing kinase inhibitor leads.

Under terms of the agreement Ipsen retains two options to exclusively license Oncodesign’s LRRK2 inhibitor program for worldwide development and commercialization, on the achievement of clinical proof-of-concept. The potentially $149 million value of the deal to Oncodesign includes a technology access fee, early R&D funding, opt-in fees, and development, regulatory, and commercial milestones for the development of molecules for two or more indications.

“This is our first drug discovery partnership with a major biopharmaceutical company based on our Nanocyclix technology, validating our ability to identify uniquely potent and selective novel kinases for use in oncology, CNS, and other therapeutic areas,” comments Jan Hoflack, Ph.D., CEO and head of Oncodesign’s discovery activities. “This agreement allows us to advance our series of attractive LRRK2 inhibitors together with a partner with recognized expertise in CNS research.”

Oncodesign’s expertise is in the field of anticancer therapeutics. The firm’s Predict®, Chi-Mice®, and PharmaImage® platforms and animal model systems are being exploited through a range of research, target discovery, and drug development products and services for the assessment, validation, targeting, and diagnostic linking of anticancer therapies. Last year Oncodesign introduced its Nanocyclix technology as a specialist platform for synthesizing selective kinase inhibitors. 

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