TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sosei Group Corporation (“Sosei”; TSE Mothers Index:4565) reported that its subsidiaries, Heptares Therapeutics (“Heptares”) has announced that it have entered into a drug discovery and licensing agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (“Daiichi Sankyo”) focused on a single G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) nominated by Daiichi Sankyo that plays a crucial role in relieving pain.
Under the terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will receive exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize novel, small molecules discovered by Heptares focused on the nominated GPCR. In return, Heptares will receive an upfront payment of $4 million, research funding of approximately $8 million, and is eligible to receive additional research, development and commercialization milestone payments. In addition, Heptares will be eligible to receive royalties on net sales of products resulting from the alliance.
“This is a very exciting new collaboration as relieving pain presents a significant challenge,” added Malcolm Weir, Heptares CEO and Chief R&D Officer of Sosei. “We are confident that that unique structural insights of the receptor that our technologies can deliver combined with expertise on its role in pain from the Neurosciences team at Daiichi Sankyo will yield new, differentiated molecules that can be advanced into development.”
Notes to Editors
About Heptares Therapeutics
Heptares is a clinical-stage
company creating transformative medicines targeting G protein-coupled
receptors (GPCRs), a superfamily of 375 receptors linked to a wide range
of human diseases. Heptares’ proprietary StaR® technology and
structure-based drug design (SBDD) capabilities enable us to engineer
and develop drugs for highly validated, yet historically undruggable or
challenging GPCRs. Using this approach, we are building an exciting
pipeline of new medicines (small molecules and biologics) with the
potential to transform the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease,
schizophrenia, cancer immune-oncology, migraine, addiction, metabolic
disease and other indications. We have partnerships for our novel
candidates and technologies with leading pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies, including Allergan, AstraZeneca, Kymab,
MedImmune, MorphoSys, Pfizer and Teva.
Heptares is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation. For more information, please visit www.heptares.com and www.sosei.com.
About Sosei
Sosei is a biopharmaceutical company originating
from Japan but with global presence. Sosei’s primary business model is
based on identifying novel and/or differentiated product assets or
technology platforms and, through supporting these in preclinical and
clinical development and establishing commercial partnerships, advancing
new medicines to patients worldwide.
For further information about Sosei, please visit www.sosei.com/en.
About Daiichi Sankyo
Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to
the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address
diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging
markets. With over 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in
more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 16,000 employees around
the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of
promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong
portfolio of medicines for hypertension and thrombotic disorders, under
the Group’s 2025 Vision to become a “Global Pharma Innovator with a
Competitive Advantage in Oncology,” Daiichi Sankyo research and
development is primarily focused on bringing forth novel therapies in
oncology, including immuno-oncology, with additional focus on new
horizon areas, such as pain management, neurodegenerative diseases,
heart and kidney diseases, and other rare diseases. For more
information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com.
Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a
member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group.
For more information on Daiichi
Sankyo, Inc., please visit: www.dsi.com.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains
forward-looking statements, including statements about the discovery,
development and commercialisation of products. Various risks may cause
Sosei’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or
implied by the forward-looking statements, including: adverse results in
clinical development programmes; failure to obtain patent protection for
inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or
controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners
to develop and commercialise products and services; difficulties or
delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services
resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial
funding to conduct research and development and to expand
commercialisation activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As
a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to
rely on any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
