Date: 2011-05-25
Type of information: Development agreement
Compound: CEN-209
Company: Cancer Research UK (UK) Cancer Research Technology (UK) Centella Therapeutics (USA)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: development
manufacturing
production
Action mechanism: CEN-209 was rationally designed and preclinically validated as an improved analogue of the hypoxia-targeted prodrug tirapazamine. It has been discovered at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre and exclusively licensed to Centella from UniServices Ltd of New Zealand, is designed to provide benefit when used together with radiotherapy and chemotherapy to treat solid tumours. CEN-209 has the potential to destroy the areas of tumours which are low in oxygen – or hypoxic. Cancer cells that are hypoxic are more resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy and often survive such treatment. By destroying the hypoxic part of tumours with CEN-209 in parallel to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, it is hoped that this combination treatment will be more effective.
Disease: solid tumors
Details: Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology – the charity\'s development and commercialisation arm – have partnered with Centella Therapeutics to develop, manufacture and trial a promising new drug, CEN-209 in cancer patients with solid tumours.
CEN-209 is currently in pre-clinical development. Under the terms of the partnership, Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office will complete pre-clinical development of the drug and take it through the first Phase I clinical trial, which will be conducted through the charity’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres.
After the Phase I trial Centella will have the exclusive option to buy back the clinical trial data and conduct further clinical studies towards approval of CEN-209. If Centella does not exercise its option, the rights to the programme will be transferred to Cancer Research Technology to secure an alternative partner with the goal of making it possible for the drug to reach cancer patients.
Financial terms:
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