Date: 2012-04-30
Type of information: R&D agreement
Compound: novel cancer targets
Company: H3 Biomedicine (USA) Horizon Discovery (UK)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: R&D
Action mechanism:
Disease: various cancers
Details: Horizon Discovery Ltd, a provider of research tools to support the development of personalized medicines, and H3 Biomedicine , a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery and development of oncology treatments, have entered into a collaboration agreement to identify and validate a panel of novel cancer drug targets. Horizon\'s discovery tools comprise: rAAV-mediated genome editing (GENESIS™) for precision functional genomics (endogenous gene knock-in and knock-outs); an expanding panel of 400+ X-MAN™ (Mutant And Normal) human isogenic cell lines that model specific target patient genetics and their matched normal genetic backgrounds; extensive cell-based assay development and drug profiling experience. Under the terms of the agreement H3 Biomedicine will have an exclusive option to acquire ownership of all program assets and intellectual property (IP) that relates to each of the target programs, with the exception of Horizon background IP. Horizon will retain commercial rights over any target program not optioned by H3 Biomedicine. Horizon will receive an initial upfront investment, with additional payments as pre-clinical and clinical milestones are reached.
H3 Biomedicine integrates human cancer genomics with next-generation synthetic organic chemistry and tumor biology capabilities to generate a large library of novel small-molecule drugs to treat cancer. Horizon will work with H3 Biomedicine to perform target-validation experiments identifying critical cancer genome targets whose modulation will have meaningful clinical effect. H3 Biomedicine will carry out early target discovery through pre-clinical research, while Horizon will implement its three core drug discovery tools to run alongside and support H3 Biomedicine\'s discovery biology and chemistry assets and capabilities. The goal will be to rapidly come to definitive decisions on whether or not to progress novel targets into development. Eisai Inc., which is partnered with H3 Biomedicine, will conduct any resulting clinical trials.
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