Date: 2013-11-20
Type of information: R&D agreement
Compound: pro-anabolic osteoarthritis modifying drug based on a growth factor derived from the Biopharm growth factor platform technology
Company: Biopharm (Germany) Merck KGaA, Merck Serono (Germany)
Therapeutic area: Rheumatic diseases - Inflammatory diseases
Type agreement: R&D
Action mechanism:
Disease: osteoarthritis
Details: * On November 20, 2013, Biopharm has announced that the company has signed an agreement with Merck to cooperate with Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck in their research activities directed toward the molecular engineering of a biologic compound for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Under the terms of the agreement, Biopharm and Merck Serono will enter a joint discovery project focusing on a potential pro-anabolic osteoarthritis modifying drug based on a growth factor derived from the Biopharm growth factor platform technology. Payment fees include an upfront payment, service fees, potential milestone, and royalty payments. Further financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
The aim of the research program, which is intended to run for two years, is to strengthen the potential beneficial effects of an existing wildtype protein, which is thought to drive hyaline joint cartilage formation during embryogenic development and seems to be associated with osteoarthritis.
Biopharm will provide variants of the wildtype protein and early pre-clinical research services focusing on the molecule properties to Merck Serono. In case of identification of any development candidates, Merck Serono will own exclusive development and commercialization rights to the development candidates for osteoarthritis.
Financial terms:
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