Hybrigenics and extend drug discovery alliance in cancer
Two French companies - Hybrigenics, the functional proteomics company, and Servier, France's largest privately-owned pharmaceutical company - have signed two new drug discovery collaboration and license agreements, expanding a previously announced collaboration between the two companies. The renewed collaboration will utilise results based on Hybrigenics' protein-interaction PIM Technology to optimise novel anticancer drugs.
The agreements call for Servier to provide Hybrigenics with research funding for two additional years, as well as milestone payments. Hybrigenics will also receive royalties related to the development and commercialisation of pharmaceuticals resulting from the collaboration. In return, Servier will obtain exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market drugs against the selected targets as well as an option for the application to other therapeutic indications. Servier also obtained an internal users' license to a customised PIMRider software, which is renewable on an annual basis.
During its previous collaboration with Servier, Hybrigenics applied its proprietary technology to map protein-protein interactions in cell-death pathways. It selected a number of potential therapeutic targets to help validate lead compounds as potential Servier cancer therapeutics. Servier will now supply several early lead anticancer compounds to Hybrigenics, which will evaluate their biological and pharmacological properties.
'The area of cancer is of strategic importance to Hybrigenics' both internal and collaborative discovery programmes,' said Professor Donny Strosberg, ceo of Hybrigenics. 'We are especially satisfied to have signed our first actual drug-discovery deal in the area of cancer with this internationally renowned French drug company.'