Genentech funds cancer inhibitor development by Inotek

Published: 25-Jul-2006

Biotechnology company Genentech and privately-owned drug developer Inotek Pharmaceuticals have formed a global collaboration to develop and commercialise inhibitors of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) for the treatment of cancer.


Biotechnology company Genentech and privately-owned drug developer Inotek Pharmaceuticals have formed a global collaboration to develop and commercialise inhibitors of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) for the treatment of cancer.

PARP is a nuclear enzyme within cells that directs the repair of damaged DNA and it has applications in the treatment of oncology and cardiovascular conditions.

Genentech will pay upfront US$20m to Inotek, with the potential for up to $405m in additional milestone payments. It will also pay royalties based on the net amount of any sales of Inotek's lead PARP Inhibitor, INO-1001, or other next-generation PARP inhibitors in the field of cancer. In addition, it will also provide funding to utilise Inotek's small molecule chemistry expertise as part of a multi-year collaborative research programme and will pay for all future clinical development costs of INO-1001 and subsequent PARP inhibitors in cancer.

Genentech has retained an option to develop and commercialise Inotek's PARP inhibitors to prevent cell death and complications associated with various acute cardiovascular conditions and procedures. This option, if exercised, could be worth as much as $200 million in additional payments to Inotek.

Inotek has retained an option to co-promote PARP inhibitors in the acute cardiovascular field in the US with Genentech and has retained all rights to develop and commercialise PARP inhibitors outside of cancer and the specific acute cardiovascular diseases included in Genentech's option.

INO-1001 represents Inotek's lead compound in a series of novel PARP inhibitors discovered by Inotek. INO-1001 is currently in Phase Ib testing for malignant melanoma in combination with temozolomide.

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