Merck enters €110m virus alliance
pharmafile | October 16, 2012 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | AiCuris, Gilead, HCMV, Merck
Merck has gained access to AiCuris’ portfolio of investigational medicines targeting human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) via a global licensing agreement.
It is the first development deal for German firm AiCuris, which was spun off from Bayer Healthcare in 2006 and focuses on treatments for severe infectious diseases.
The drugs in the Merck deal include letermovir (AIC246), an oral, late-stage antiviral candidate for the treatment and prevention of HCMV infection in people who have received an organ transplant.
Such patients are particularly vulnerable to HCMV, as are others whose immune system may be compromised, such as newborn babies or HIV/AIDS sufferers. Infections are characterised by fever, low white blood cell count, low platelet numbers and possible organ dysfunction.
Roche is paying €110 million up front and could give AiCuris another €332.5 million in depending on the performance of letermovir and Phase I candidates with another mechanism.
Letermovir has the potential to be a first-in-class treatment from a novel chemical class called quinazolines and is designed to inhibit the HCMV viral terminase.
The molecule met all primary efficacy endpoints in a Phase IIb clinical trial in bone marrow transplant patients – it also has orphan drug status in the European Union and the US, where it has been granted Fast Track Designation too.
AiCuris is entitled to royalties while Merck is responsible for all development activities and costs. Existing drugs to treat HCMV include Gilead Sciences’ Vistide (cidofovir) and Roche’s Valcyte (valgancilovir).
“There is a significant need for additional medicines for the treatment of HCMV infection, which is one of the most common viral infections affecting organ and bone marrow transplant patients,” said Roger Pomerantz, infectious disease franchise head at Merck Research Laboratories.
“AiCuris has built a leading portfolio of innovative antiviral HCMV candidates that are designed to address novel targets and offer the potential for HCMV prophylaxis,” he added.
As well as its HCMV products, AiCuris’ pipeline includes a novel anti Herpes Simplex compound which is set to go into Phase III testing.
Adam Hill
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