NERVIANO, Italy and SURESNES, France I July 30th, 2013 I – Nerviano Medical Sciences, the largest pharmaceutical R&D facility in Italy, one of the leading oncology-focused, integrated discovery and development companies in Europe, and Servier, a leading research-based European pharmaceutical company today announced a collaboration and worldwide license agreement to further develop and commercialize first-in-class Nerviano compounds inhibiting the protein kinase TTK/MPS1.A key regulator of mitosis TTK/MPS1 is aberrantly overexpressed in a wide range of tumours and represents a promising target in oncology.
Terms of the collaboration include an upfront fee of € 8 million and a potential for up to € 100 million in option fees, clinical and regulatory milestones in addition to royalties for the sale of licensed products.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nerviano will complete the preclinical development of the lead candidate drug and, if Servier exercises the option, Servier will bear all development and commercialization costs. Nerviano will continue to support Servier for the early clinical development and the supply of the licensed product.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nerviano will complete the preclinical development of the lead candidate drug and, if Servier exercises the option, Servier will bear all development and commercialization costs. Nerviano will continue to support Servier for the early clinical development and the supply of the licensed product.
“We are very pleased to enter into this partnership with Servier, as both companies share the common goal to develop innovative drugs in oncology”, said Prof. Alberto Sciumè, President of Nerviano Medical Sciences. “I am confident that Nerviano’s expertise in drug discovery and development will lead to new therapies that will ultimately deliver hope and innovative therapies to cancer patients.”
“This agreement between Servier and Nerviano Medical Sciences for developing a “first-in-class” anticancer treatment is in line with Servier’s main objective to provide patients and doctors with innovative therapeutic solutions for severe diseases such as cancer” said Jean-Philippe Seta, MD, CEO of Servier.
“We have preclinical data which suggest that TTK may represent an attractive therapeutic target in a poor prognosis associated subgroup of breast cancer. Nerviano has a strong expertise in oncology research. Combining our capabilities will accelerate the translation of our findings into the clinic”, said Stéphane Depil, M.D., Ph.D., director of Oncology R&D at Servier.
About Nerviano Medical Sciences (www.nervianoms.com)
Nerviano Medical Sciences (NMS) is a research based company dedicated to the discovery and development of breakthrough treatments for cancer.
NMS leverages strategic alliances with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for securing long-term business sustainability.
NMS has already in place collaborations or licenses with other major pharmaceutical companies such as Genentech/Roche, Pfizer and Novartis as well as with biotechnology companies and academia.
Since December 31, 2011 NMS is indirectly owned by Regione Lombardia through the Regional Foundation for Biomedical Research (FRRB).
Nerviano Medical Sciences (NMS) is a research based company dedicated to the discovery and development of breakthrough treatments for cancer.
NMS leverages strategic alliances with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for securing long-term business sustainability.
NMS has already in place collaborations or licenses with other major pharmaceutical companies such as Genentech/Roche, Pfizer and Novartis as well as with biotechnology companies and academia.
Since December 31, 2011 NMS is indirectly owned by Regione Lombardia through the Regional Foundation for Biomedical Research (FRRB).
About Servier (www.servier.com)Servier is a privately-run research based pharmaceutical company with a 2012 turnover of €3.9 billion. Servier reinvests 25% of its turnover in Research & Development in oncology, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, psychiatric and rheumatological diseases. Servier is established in 140 countries worldwide with over 20,000 employees.
SOURCE: Servier
