Zealand Pharma and Wyeth enter collaboration for cardiovascular therapy

Danish biopharmaceutical company Zealand Pharma has entered into a development and licence agreement with global pharmaceutical company Wyeth to co-develop ZP123, Zealand's novel drug candidate for the treatment of arrhythmias and other cardiovascular diseases.

ZP123 is a peptide that acts specifically on protein channels called gap junctions in the heart. These channels are responsible for conducting electrical impulses between cells to maintain the heart's normal rhythm, and gap junction modulation may represent a novel mechanism of action for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. In pre-clinical studies, ZP123 has been shown to prevent ventricular arrhythmia in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Furthermore, it has been shown to be devoid of any pro-arrythmic or hemodynamic effects in studies to date. Zealand estimates the market potential for a drug that acts via this mechanism to exceed US$500m per annum.

The two companies will collaborate to conduct pre-clinical studies, while Wyeth would conduct future clinical development. Under the terms of the agreement, Zealand will receive research funding and milestone payments as well as royalties on potential future sales, assuming successful development and approval of a final product. Zealand has granted Wyeth an exclusive option for a broad collaboration programme to identify additional novel drug candidates based on gap junction modulation as a mechanism of action.

'The signing of this agreement for ZP123 is a significant achievement for Zealand,' said Eva Steiness, ceo, Zealand Pharma. This deal validates our strategy of targeting cellular communication via gap junctions in the discovery of innovative new drugs and confirms our unique position in this rapidly advancing area of drug discovery.'