Heptares Therapeutics signs StaR technology agreement with Novartis
Heptares Therapeutics, a UK-based drug discovery company focused on G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targets, has signed a drug discovery deal with Novartis.
Heptares Therapeutics, a UK-based drug discovery company focused on G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targets, has signed a drug discovery deal with Novartis.
Heptares of Welwyn Garden City will apply its proprietary StaR technology to generate novel drug leads against a nominated, unspecified GPCR target of interest to Novartis.
Novartis Option Fund will make upfront and potential milestone payments to Heptares totalling up to US$200m, plus royalties. Full financial terms were not revealed.
StaR technology enables GPCRs, normally membrane-bound, to be worked on in solution, allowing the use of structure-based drug discovery technologies. Heptares is deploying this technology principally to generate small molecule drugs against currently difficult or intractable GPCR targets in several disease areas.
"The deal with the Novartis Option Fund demonstrates confidence that our approach can unlock the potential of GCPR targets and forms a solid foundation for other partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies," said Malcolm Weir, chief executive of Heptares Therapeutics.
Novartis Option Fund already has a tie-up with Heptares, having invested £7m in the company's £21m fundraising in February 2009. Other backers were MVM Life Science Partners and Clarus Ventures.