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Agreements

Date: 2015-01-06

Type of information: Product acquisition

Compound: Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) program

Company: Gilead Sciences (USA - CA) Phenex Pharmaceuticals (Germany)

Therapeutic area: Hepatic diseases - Liver diseases - Metabolic diseases

Type agreement:

product acquisition

Action mechanism:

Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) is a nuclear hormone receptor that regulates bile acid, lipid and glucose homeostasis, which can help reduce liver steatosis and inflammation, and may help prevent liver fibrosis. Phenex\'s Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) Program includes FXR agonist Px-104 and FXR agonist Px-102. The primary indications for FXR agonist Px-104 are Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). FXR agonist Px-104 attacks the underlying causes of NAFLD and NASH. It lowers liver lipids and improves hepatic insulin sensitivity, combined with a liver specific anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effect. This was demonstrated for Px-104 and other FXR agonists in animal models of metabolic syndrome and NASH. Phenex drug candidate Px-104 has demonstrated excellent safety and tolerability together with potent activation of pharmacodynamic markers in two Phase I clinical studies. Phenex has just started a Phase II pilot study in patients with NAFLD to establish a dose regimen for a subsequent Phase IIb study in NASH patients.

 

Disease: liver diseases including NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)

Details:

* On January 6, 2015, Gilead Sciences and Phenex Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biotechnology company, announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which Gilead will acquire Phenex’s Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) program comprising small molecule FXR agonists for the treatment of liver diseases including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). 

 

Financial terms:

Under the terms of the agreement, Gilead will pay Phenex an upfront payment plus additional payments based upon achievement of certain development milestones that may potentially be worth up to $470 million.

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