Xention and Grünenthal sign research agreement
To focus on new drugs to treat chronic pain
Cambridge, UK-based biopharmaceutical company Xention, a specialist in the development of ion channel-modulating drugs, has entered into a research agreement with Grünenthal headquartered in Aachen, Germany focusing on the identification of new drugs to treat chronic pain.
Under the terms of the agreement Xention will apply its proprietary ion channel drug discovery platform to the design, synthesis and in vitro assessment of small molecules, which target an ion channel of key pathophysiological importance in pain and against which selective ligands have not previously been developed.
Grünenthal will assume responsibility for (pre)-clinical development and worldwide commercialisation of potential new drugs arising from the collaboration.
Grünenthal will fund the two-year research programme, and Xention will also receive an upfront fee and milestone payments.
‘We anticipate that the collaboration will result in the identification of novel drugs with high clinical and commercial potential,’ said Eric-Paul Pâques, president of Grünenthal Innovation and chief alliance officer, vice-chairman of the Board of the Grünenthal Group.
Tim Brears, Xention’s chief executive, added: ‘We believe that pooling our expertise with Grϋnenthal will result in the development of an exciting class of new medicines in this area of substantial unmet medical need.’