The promise of advanced medicine and medical technology is only as strong as its ability to deliver benefits to patients. EPIX Pharmaceuticals is partnering with some of the premier organizations in the industry to ensure its products and product candidates can realize their full potential in development and in the marketplace.
Therapeutic Alliances
Collaboration and licensing are important strategic components of EPIX's business model. EPIX is seeking partners for advanced clinical development and/or collaborations for its small molecule drug programs in select therapeutic areas.
In December 2006, EPIX entered into a worldwide multi-target strategic collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to discover, develop and market novel medicines targeting four G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) for the treatment of a variety of diseases, including EPIX's novel 5-HT4 partial agonist program, PRX-03140, in early-stage clinical development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The alliance with GSK will be conducted through its Center of Excellence for External Drug Discovery (CEEDD).
EPIX will be responsible for the discovery and development of small molecule drug candidates targeting four GPCRs, including PRX-03140, through to clinical proof-of-concept, at which point GSK will have an exclusive option to license each product for further development and commercialization on a worldwide basis. If GSK exercises the option to license EPIX's 5-HT4 partial agonist program, EPIX will retain the right to co-promote any products from that program in the United States.
To date, EPIX has achieved two GSK discovery milestones.
EPIX has an agreement with Amgen for the development of novel, orally available S1P1 modulators for the treatment of multiple auto-immune diseases. EPIX and Amgen are collaborating on the development of existing EPIX preclinical-stage compounds and new S1P1 modulators. Amgen will be responsible for clinical development and commercialization of the product candidate(s).
EPIX also has a collaborative research, development, and commercialization agreement with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc., the drug discovery and development affiliate of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, focused on discovering potential drug therapies targeting the P2Y(2) receptor and the CFTR ion channel.
Vasovist® Partnership
Bayer Schering Pharma, the world's market-leading MRI pharmaceutical company, is our partner for the development and global marketing of Vasovist, our innovative pharmaceutical for enhanced MRA imaging.
In October 2005, the European Medicines Agency granted marketing approval of Vasovist for the 25 member states of the E.U. and Bayer Schering Pharma, EPIX's partner for Vasovist, began marketing Vasovist in Europe in the second quarter of 2006. With the addition of Bulgaria and Romania to the E.U. in 2007, Vasovist is now approved in all 27 member states. Vasovist is currently marketed in 16 countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, United Kingdom and Switzerland. In August 2006, the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (ADEC) recommended to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) that Vasovist be registered for sale in Australia. Vasovist was approved for use in Switzerland in February 2006, Australia in September 2006, Canada in November 2006, and Turkey in 2007. Vasovist is approved for marketing in 33 countries.
Our industry relationships also include the three leading MRI equipment manufacturers, GE Healthcare, Philips Medical Systems, and Siemens Medical Solutions. Each is developing technology that optimizes visualization and diagnosis of vascular disease using Vasovist.
Business Development Opportunities
EPIX is currently seeking a partner for development and commercialization of EP-2104R. EP-2104R is a novel fibrin-imaging agent used to identify blood clots using MRI. EP-2104R has successfully completed a Phase 2a clinical trial and is the first targeted high-resolution technique designed to visualize blood clots directly.
For more information, please contact us at:
busdev@EPIXpharma.com
