Date: 2014-07-29
Type of information: R&D agreement
Compound: novel small molecule disease-modifying therapy
Company: Roche (Switzerland) Amorchem (Canada) NuChem Therapeutics (Canada)
Therapeutic area: Rare diseases - Neuromuscular diseases - Genetic diseases
Type agreement: R&D collaboration
Action mechanism:
Disease: myotonic muscular dystrophy 1or Steinert’s disease
Details: * On July 29, 2014, Roche and AmorChem, a Montreal-based venture capital firm investing in life science projects, announced they have entered into a collaboration to discover novel small molecule disease-modifying therapy for the treatment of myotonic muscular dystrophy 1, or Steinert’s disease. The collaboration will focus on the development of novel small molecules capable of correcting the consequences of the splicing deficit caused by the myotonic dystrophy 1 gene mutation. Through this approach, some of the molecular alterations caused by the disease process may be corrected and the progression of disease may be curtailed. The enabling technology was developed by Dr. Pascal Chartrand, a principal investigator at University of Montreal, and licensed to AmorChem by Univalor, the university’s technology transfer group. Discovery will take place at AmorChem’s medicinal chemistry incubator, NuChem Therapeutics, and in Dr. Chartrand’s laboratory. Roche will provide scientific support and will contribute R&D funding together with AmorChem.
Financial terms: Under the terms of the agreement, Roche will have the option to acquire an exclusive, worldwide license at the end of the collaboration. AmorChem may earn up to $107 million in total, based on developmental and commercial milestones, and single-digit tiered royalties.
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