Roche to launch new MS collaboration
pharmafile | June 23, 2014 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | MS, Roche, inception sciences, multiple sclerosis, versant ventures
Roche has launched a new research collaboration to investigate ways of reversing the debilitating nerve damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS).
As part of the deal signed with California-based firms Inception Sciences and Versant Ventures, a new company called Inception 5 will be established to conduct the research.
Inception 5’s investigative focus will be to develop a treatment that induces remyelination – i.e., the restoration of the neural insulation destroyed by MS.
Roche will have the option of acquiring the company if an investigational new drug (IND) application for one of its compounds is filed with US regulator the FDA.
Roche’s global head of neuroscience partnering, Shafique Virani, says the slightly unorthodox research arrangement is advantageous to all parties involved: “The unique deal construct lends itself well to exploring exciting, ground-breaking new science and jointly de-risking early stage research with Versant/Inception.”
Inception 5 is not Roche’s first collaboration with the two firms: in 2010, Inception 3 was established to investigate hearing loss. Indeed, Venture and Inception have collaborated on several similar projects with major pharma firms – including Bayer most recently – hence the number naming system of each new start-up.
Multiple sclerosis is a potentially lucrative disease area. Top sellers in the area include Copaxone (glatiramer acetate, Teva) and Avonex (interferon beta-1a, Biogen Idec), which last year recorded global sales of $4.3 billion and $3 billion, respectively.
A breakthrough in remyelination would turn the market on its head, however, as the current crop of established treatments can only slow down the disease, rather than undo the damage it causes.
Progress in this area would also be a significant achievement for Roche, which continues in its efforts to diversify beyond its traditional speciality of oncology.
Global head of neuroscience at Roche’s Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development division, Luca Santarelli, says: “With Inception 5, we look forward to further unravelling the biological basis of nerve myelination and target-repair mechanisms in multiple sclerosis.”
He adds: “We will partner with world-class scientists, entrepreneurs and investors in the context of our newly established model for externalised drug discovery.”
The causes of multiple sclerosis are not yet clearly understood and the condition is estimated to affect 2.5 million people worldwide, says UK charity the MS Trust.
Hugh McCafferty
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