Date: 2015-06-29
Type of information: Collaboration agreement
Compound: seliciclib
Company: Cyclacel (UK) Manros Therapeutics (France)
Therapeutic area: Rare diseases - Genetic diseases
Type agreement: collaboration development licensing
Action mechanism: kinase inhibitor/CDK inhibitor. Seliciclib is an orally available, CDK (cyclin?dependent kinase) inhibitor. It selectively inhibits two CDKs driving cell cycle transitions and two CDKs involved in transcription of genes (cyclins, MCL?1 etc.) associated with cancer cell progression or resistance. ManRos and academic collaborators have discovered that seliciclib may restore the defective bactericidal activity of macrophages in cystic fibrosis. They have also discovered that seliciclib may have "corrector" activity in the most prevalent cystic fibrosis mutation, F508del (Norez 2014). Separately, independent investigators have demonstrated in model systems that seliciclib has anti-inflammatory properties which may also help reduce inflammatory injury in patients with cystic fibrosis (Rossi et al., 2006; Moriceau 2010).
Disease: cystic fibrosis
Details: * On June 29, 2015, Cyclacel Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, and ManRos Therapeutics announced the execution of a collaboration, licensing and supply agreement for the exclusive development and commercialisation of Cyclacel's oral seliciclib capsules by ManRos as a treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF). Among other terms of the agreement ManRos licensed rights to Cyclacel's proprietary clinical data to enable clinical development of seliciclib for cystic fibrosis indications. The agreement provides for Cyclacel supply of seliciclib investigational product for initial and later stage clinical trials of seliciclib in CF and technical assistance related to Cyclacel's know-how to facilitate these trials. Manros Therapeutics expects that proof-of-concept clinical trials in CF patients will begin in the near term.
Financial terms: Cyclacel will receive an up-front payment, milestone payments and tiered royalties, if seliciclib is commercialized for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. Financial details were not disclosed.
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