AbbVie to pay Morphic license fee of $20 million, with future potential milestones and royalties
AbbVie to lead further development and commercialization
WALTHAM, MA, USA I August 25, 2020 I Morphic Therapeutic (NASDAQ: MORF), a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, and AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced that AbbVie has exercised a license option under the companies’ research and development collaboration agreement to develop Morphic’s αvβ6 integrin inhibitors for the treatment of fibrotic diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and additional indications. The αvβ6 integrin activates transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), a key driver of tissue fibrosis. The license covers αvβ6 integrin specific inhibitors discovered from Morphic’s proprietary MInT Platform, including the compounds MORF-720 and MORF-627, which are supported by an extensive preclinical data package demonstrating potential as treatments for IPF as well as other fibrotic diseases. Pursuant to the agreement between Morphic and AbbVie, Morphic will receive a license fee of $20 million, with potential future development milestone payments and royalties from the sales of any commercialized candidates.
“The preclinical data strongly support Morphic’s selective small molecule inhibitors of αvβ6 for development in fibrotic disease. AbbVie has been an excellent partner through the preclinical development of this program and we believe that their decision to assume leadership for the next stages of development is a strong vote of confidence in our collaboration, as well as Morphic’s MInT platform to generate orally available integrin inhibitors,” said Praveen Tipirneni, MD, president and chief executive officer of Morphic Therapeutic.
About the Morphic-AbbVie Agreement
Under the terms of the original agreement, AbbVie paid Morphic an upfront payment of $100 million for exclusive license options on product candidates directed at multiple targets. For each target, Morphic will conduct R&D activities through the completion of IND-enabling studies, at which point AbbVie may pay a license fee to exercise its exclusive license option and assume responsibility for global development and commercialization. Morphic is also eligible for additional, undisclosed clinical and commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties on worldwide net sales for each compound. Morphic retains cost-sharing rights in the development of liver fibrosis indications, and may opt into paying a percentage of AbbVie’s development costs in exchange for enhanced royalties.
About Fibrosis and TGF-β
Fibrosis occurs when chronic inflammation or persistent injury leads to the development of excessive connective tissue, which can lead to organ damage and impaired function. Fibrotic diseases can affect nearly all tissues and organ systems and, due to limited treatment options, can cause serious illness and death.
The pro-fibrotic cytokine TGF-β is a key regulator of fibrosis, but attempts to globally suppress its activity have suffered from a narrow therapeutic index (dose-limiting toxicity). Several integrins, such as αvβ6, play a dominant role in local activation of TGF-β in diseased tissues. Inhibition of these integrins is therefore a compelling strategy for treating chronic fibrotic diseases with significant advantage over global TGF-β inhibitors.
About Morphic Therapeutic
Morphic Therapeutic is a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, including autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, fibrosis and cancer. In collaboration with AbbVie, Janssen, and Schrödinger, Morphic is advancing its pipeline and discovery activities using its proprietary MInT technology platform which leverages the Company’s unique understanding of integrin structure and biology. For more information, visit www.morphictx.com.
About AbbVie
AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
SOURCE: Morphic Therapeutics
Post Views: 57
AbbVie to pay Morphic license fee of $20 million, with future potential milestones and royalties
AbbVie to lead further development and commercialization
WALTHAM, MA, USA I August 25, 2020 I Morphic Therapeutic (NASDAQ: MORF), a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, and AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced that AbbVie has exercised a license option under the companies’ research and development collaboration agreement to develop Morphic’s αvβ6 integrin inhibitors for the treatment of fibrotic diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and additional indications. The αvβ6 integrin activates transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), a key driver of tissue fibrosis. The license covers αvβ6 integrin specific inhibitors discovered from Morphic’s proprietary MInT Platform, including the compounds MORF-720 and MORF-627, which are supported by an extensive preclinical data package demonstrating potential as treatments for IPF as well as other fibrotic diseases. Pursuant to the agreement between Morphic and AbbVie, Morphic will receive a license fee of $20 million, with potential future development milestone payments and royalties from the sales of any commercialized candidates.
“The preclinical data strongly support Morphic’s selective small molecule inhibitors of αvβ6 for development in fibrotic disease. AbbVie has been an excellent partner through the preclinical development of this program and we believe that their decision to assume leadership for the next stages of development is a strong vote of confidence in our collaboration, as well as Morphic’s MInT platform to generate orally available integrin inhibitors,” said Praveen Tipirneni, MD, president and chief executive officer of Morphic Therapeutic.
About the Morphic-AbbVie Agreement
Under the terms of the original agreement, AbbVie paid Morphic an upfront payment of $100 million for exclusive license options on product candidates directed at multiple targets. For each target, Morphic will conduct R&D activities through the completion of IND-enabling studies, at which point AbbVie may pay a license fee to exercise its exclusive license option and assume responsibility for global development and commercialization. Morphic is also eligible for additional, undisclosed clinical and commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties on worldwide net sales for each compound. Morphic retains cost-sharing rights in the development of liver fibrosis indications, and may opt into paying a percentage of AbbVie’s development costs in exchange for enhanced royalties.
About Fibrosis and TGF-β
Fibrosis occurs when chronic inflammation or persistent injury leads to the development of excessive connective tissue, which can lead to organ damage and impaired function. Fibrotic diseases can affect nearly all tissues and organ systems and, due to limited treatment options, can cause serious illness and death.
The pro-fibrotic cytokine TGF-β is a key regulator of fibrosis, but attempts to globally suppress its activity have suffered from a narrow therapeutic index (dose-limiting toxicity). Several integrins, such as αvβ6, play a dominant role in local activation of TGF-β in diseased tissues. Inhibition of these integrins is therefore a compelling strategy for treating chronic fibrotic diseases with significant advantage over global TGF-β inhibitors.
About Morphic Therapeutic
Morphic Therapeutic is a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, including autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, fibrosis and cancer. In collaboration with AbbVie, Janssen, and Schrödinger, Morphic is advancing its pipeline and discovery activities using its proprietary MInT technology platform which leverages the Company’s unique understanding of integrin structure and biology. For more information, visit www.morphictx.com.
About AbbVie
AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
SOURCE: Morphic Therapeutics
Post Views: 57
