Date: 2011-05-24
Type of information: Results
phase: 2a
Announcement: results
Company: Biotie Therapies (Finland)
Product: SYN118
Action
mechanism: SYN118 is a potent and selective inhibitor of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD). HPPD is an enzyme in the primary pathway responsible for the breakdown of tyrosine, the precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. This novel point of intervention has been thought to offer the potential to induce a sustained increase in dopamine synthesis in specific regions of the brain resulting in clinical benefit.
SYN118 was discovered by AstraZeneca and developed by Syngenta and their partner Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi) for the treatment of hereditary tyrosinemia type 1. In 2007, Biotie (formerly Synosia) obtained rights from Syngenta to develop and commercialize SYN118 in non-orphan diseases. Sobi markets the compound in Europe, the United States, Australia and Russia for the treatment of hereditary tyrosinemia type 1, under the brand name Orfadin®.
Disease: Parkinson's disease
Therapeutic area: Neurodegenerative diseases - CNS diseases
Country:
Trial details:
Latest
news: Biotie Therapies has announced results from an exploratory phase 2a study of its HPPD inhibitor SYN118 in Parkinson's disease. These data do not show a significant improvement in measures of PD motor function when compared to placebo. Biotie will consider development options for the compound and will announce further plans later in the year. SYN118 is subject to an option agreement with UCB as part of a broader partnership. Biotie does not expect UCB to exercise its option to license the compound based on the now published data. The UCB collaboration also includes Biotie's novel adenosine A2a receptor antagonist, SYN115, which is in phase 2b development for PD targeting a mechanism of action different from that of SYN 118 and which has been shown to significantly modulate the off-time (time when Parkinson's patients have rigidity and other associated problems) without an increase in dyskinesias.
* On November 2011, 23, Biotie announced that at the time of the original data announcement, it did not expect UCB to exercise its option to license the compound based on the results generated in the Phase 2a study. After completing its evaluation of these data, UCB has confirmed to Biotie that it will not exercise its option to license the compound for further development. Biotie has already fully impaired the carrying value of this asset due to the unlikelihood of UCB exercising their option.
