Sanofi strikes Crohn’s deal with Glenmark
pharmafile | May 16, 2011 | News story | Research and Development | Crohn’s disease, Glenmark, Sanofi
Sanofi has signed a deal with Indian drug maker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals to develop a new treatment for Crohn’s Disease.
The agreement seeks to commercialise GBR500, Glenmark’s novel monoclonal antibody, for Crohn’s and other chronic autoimmune disorders.
Sanofi – which has just dropped the Aventis part of its brand name – will give Glenmark $50 million up front as well as the usual milestone and royalty payments if things go well.
Sanofi’s stake buys the company exclusive marketing rights to the drug in North America, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
It will also get co-marketing or co-promotion rights in Brazil, Russia, Australia and New Zealand while Glenmark retains exclusive rights in India and the rest of the world.
“There continues to be a strong medical need for safer and more efficacious products for the treatment of inflammatory diseases,” says Elias Zerhouni, Sanofi’s president of global R&D.
“GBR500 brings an innovative approach to Sanofi’s immuno-inflammation portfolio, which we believe may address a significant gap in treating inflammatory diseases which would be of huge benefit to patients,” Zerouni added.
GBR500, which has completed a phase I dosing study in the US, is an antagonist of the VLA-2 (alpha2-beta1) integrin, a receptor involved in lymphocyte adhesion at inflammation sites and the release of inflammatory cytokines.
“This collaboration on a novel, first-in-class monoclonal antibody validates Glenmark’s world-class innovative R&D capabilities in the drug discovery area,” says Glenmark chief executive Glenn Saldanha.
This is the second major link-up between the two companies in a year: in May 2010 the French pharma manufacturer signed a $325 million agreement to develop novel agents for the treatment of chronic pain with Glenmark.
Glenmark has eight molecules in various stages of development.
Adam Hill
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