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NicOx
alliances |
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NicOx
has established alliances with one of the largest pharmaceutical
companies in the world, Merck and with the leading Spanish company
Grupo Ferrer. NicOx’ intellectual property and experience in
synthesizing, screening and optimizing nitric oxide-donating compounds
is central to these collaborations. These alliances accelerate the
advancement of NicOx’ research and development activities and endorse
the company’s technology and its leading position in the field.
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Grupo Ferrer Internacional SA
Dermatology
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In April 2004, NicOx signed an agreement with Grupo
Ferrer for the
research, development and marketing of novel nitric oxide-donating
anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of dermatological diseases.
In
May 2006 NCX 1047 was selected as the development candidate in their
dermatology collaboration. This selection marked the successful
completion of the partners’ research program, announced in September
2005, to identify a novel nitric oxide-donating anti-inflammatory with
the potential for an improved risk-benefit ratio in humans.
Under
the terms of the agreement NicOx is responsible for the initial
synthesis of the new compounds, while Ferrer will be responsible for
and fund all further development activities through to registration,
under the oversight of a joint development committee. Ferrer has
marketing rights for the European Union (including EFTA), Latin
America, French-speaking Africa (including Morocco and Algeria) and
Egypt and an option on U.S. rights, which it may exercise following the
commencement of phase 2 studies. NicOx retains all rights for Asia and
has the right to co-market products directly in the European Union and
EFTA. NicOx will receive undisclosed development milestones and
commercial success fees, plus royalties on the sales of any products
resulting from the agreement.
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Merck & Co, Inc.
Cardiovascular |
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In
March 2006, NicOx signed a major exclusive worldwide license agreement
with Merck & Co., Inc. to collaborate on the development of new
antihypertensive drugs using NicOx’ proprietary nitric oxide-donating
technology. This agreement followed the successful completion of the
companies’ research collaboration started in August 2003, which has
generated promising results showing that nitric oxide donation can
improve the efficacy of antihypertensive agents in in vivo models.
The agreement covers nitric oxide-donating derivatives of several major
classes of antihypertensive agents for the treatment of high blood
pressure, complications of hypertension, and other cardiovascular and
related disorders. Merck has the exclusive right to develop and
commercialize antihypertensives that use NicOx’ nitric oxide-donating
technology for the treatment of systemic hypertension. NicOx has the
option to co-promote on a fee for detail basis products that result
from the agreement to specialist physicians, such as cardiologists, in
the United States and certain major European countries. In addition,
Merck will pay NicOx industry standard royalties on the sales of all
products resulting from the collaboration.
NicOx has already received €19.2 million from Merck under the
agreement, of which an upfront payment of €9.2 million and €10 million
milestone payment since the beginning of 2007 (€5 million for the
initiation of the first phase 1 trial in the clinical program and
another €5 million linked to the initiation of Good Laboratory Practice
toxicology studies on this candidate). NicOx stands to receive a
potential additional €269 million in milestone payments from Merck.
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