EPIX has ongoing preclinical and discovery programs targeting GPCRs and ion channels for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, cancer, inflammatory diseases, pain and cystic fibrosis.
Recently, EPIX entered into a worldwide multi-target strategic collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to discover, develop and market novel medicines targeting four GPCRs for the treatment of a variety of diseases, including EPIX's novel 5-HT4 partial agonist program, PRX-03140, in clinical development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. 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.
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.
EPIX has two preclinical programs that are nearing IND status. The first one, EPX-102216 is a highly selective, oral, CCR2 antagonist that may have a number of applications for a variety of autoimmune diseases, pain and atherosclerosis. Its novel mechanism of action is focused on reducing inflammatory responses mediated by macrophages and specific T cell populations. To date, EPIX has demonstrated that EPX-102216 is a potent and highly selective antagonist at both human and rat CCR2 receptors and that it has an excellent pharmacological profile with good oral bioavailability in animal models.
The second preclinical compound, EPX-16006, is a first-in-class, highly selective, oral, non-absorbed, small molecule P2Y2 agonist. P2Y2 receptors in the intestine are known to stimulate chloride and water secretion. Therefore, this compound is focused on the treatment of idiopathic constipation and in constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Because of the location of P2Y2 receptors in the gut, EPIX believes that the profile of EPX-16006 may allow it to avoid the nausea associated with AmitizaŽ, the leading drug for chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
