Schering-Plough, PTC to collaborate on preclinical hepatitis C compounds

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., March 20 - Schering-Plough Corp. and PTC Therapeutics, Inc. have entered into an exclusive collaboration and licensing agreement for the development of PTC's preclinical compounds for the oral treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and other viral diseases.

PTC's small molecules are designed to inhibit the HCV Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) mediated production of viral proteins, according to a company news release. The compounds were identified through PTC's proprietary Gene Expression Modulation by Small-molecules (GEMS) technology.

"The goal of this alliance is to develop new oral therapies to improve treatment for patients with hepatitis C, one of the most serious and common blood borne infections in the world," Catherine D. Strader, executive vice president, discovery research, Schering-Plough Research Institute, said in the release.

Under the agreement, Schering-Plough will be responsible for development and commercialization efforts worldwide, will make a $12 million upfront payment to PTC and will provide funding for PTC's research.

Schering-Plough will receive exclusive worldwide commercialization rights for any approved products and pay PTC royalties on worldwide net sales.

PTC can earn milestone payments if specific development, regulatory and commercial goals are met. Total payments to PTC could exceed $200 million.

Chronic hepatitis C affects some 10 million people and is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and liver transplant, according to the release.

PTC is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of small-molecule drugs targeting post-transcriptional control mechanisms. The company is based in South Plainfield, N.J.

Schering-Plough discovers, develops, manufactures and markets advanced drug therapies to meet important medical needs. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J.

© 2015 Prospect News.
All content on this website is protected by copyright law in the U.S. and elsewhere. For the use of the person downloading only.
Redistribution and copying are prohibited by law without written permission in advance from Prospect News.
Redistribution or copying includes e-mailing, printing multiple copies or any other form of reproduction.