Date: 2013-01-25
Type of information: R&D agreement
Compound: OX-CLI program (arachidonic acid-based advanced program)
Company: AstraZeneca (UK) Orexo (Sweden)
Therapeutic area: Respiratory diseases
Type agreement: R&D
Action mechanism:
Disease: respiratory diseases
Details: Orexo has entered into an agreement with AstraZeneca regarding OX-CLI, a preclinical program for a potential novel treatment of respiratory diseases. Under this agreement, Orexo grants to AstraZeneca rights to conduct further preclinical research and evaluation of compounds in Orexo’s OX-CLI program. AstraZeneca also has an option to acquire the compounds pertaining to the program subject to a full asset transfer agreement being executed by the parties, under which Orexo will receive development milestones and royalties on future revenues.
The OX-CLI project is to develop an oral, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory and bronchodilatory drug for the treatment of all stages of asthma and COPD. The target protein in the project is the enzyme LTC4 synthase, which plays a central role in the inflammatory process by acting as a catalyst in the final stage of formation of leukotrienes and eoxins, which are two groups of major pro-inflammatory mediators. This program was part of a three-year cooperation and licensing agreement between Orexo, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Pharmaceutica, both part of the Johnson & Johnson Group. In January 2012, the partners have decided to end their research collaboration and license agreement inked in June 2010 covering respiratory diseases. The deal covered two Orexo programs—OX-CLI and OX-ESI—and a third, undisclosed Janssen program. Each party has regained all commercial rights for its respective drug discovery programs.
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