Biocon inks licensing pact with Quark Pharma

 Biotechnology major Biocon on Wednesday said it has inked a pact with Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc to develop a range of siRNA (small interfering RNA) based novel therapeutics.

The companies have entered into a licensing and collaboration agreement for the development of a range of siRNA (small interfering RNA) based novel therapeutics, Biocon Ltd said in a statement.

“This collaboration will enable Biocon to co-develop, manufacture and commercialise QPI-1007, a novel siRNA drug candidate for ophthalmic conditions, for India and other key markets,” it added.

As part of the agreement, Biocon will have access to Quark’s innovative and proprietary siRNA technology platform that can be leveraged for the development of novel therapeutics for various unmet medical needs.

The company, however, did not disclose financial details.

Commenting on the development, Biocon Chairperson and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said Quark is the world leader in this technology and their joint development efforts on QPI—1007, targeting ocular neuroprotection, aims at providing relief to several patients suffering from serious ophthalmic conditions.

“This collaboration reinforces our commitment to develop and introduce innovative therapeutics to India to meet the unmet medical needs. We hope to use this technology for developing several other novel therapeutics,” she added.

QuarkPharma CEO Daniel Zurr said the collaboration will position Biocon as the leading siRNA company in India and as an international player in this new drug category.

Shares of Biocon were trading at Rs 427.30 apiece on the BSE in late afternoon trade, up 8.82 per cent from its previous close.

Just (g)OUT

AstraZeneca have announced their purchase of Ardea Biosciences for around $1 bn. Definitely not comparable to the ~15 bn dollar acquistion of MedImmune in 2007. Not surprising is the move of AstraZeneca to any follower of Pharma industry. With such a weak late stage pipeline, AstraZeneca have been trumpeting their desire to strike deals, either licensing or acquisition. The recent collaboration with Amgen on the Immunoinflammatory area added some life to the pipeline of AZ. The collaboration with Amgen included a Phase III ready candidate, brodalumab (for psoriasis) and the rest were early stage assets. This time, the purchase of Ardea will bring another late stage asset, lesinurad (RDEA594) for gout. 

Interestingly, Takeda recently announced a similar deal (pretty close in the $ too) of buying URL Pharma for around 800 mn$. URL Pharma already markets Colcrys (colchicine) for treatment of gout. Takeda already had a drug for the treatment of gout, Uloric (febuxostat) through their partners Teijin Pharma.

Overall, good news for AZ this April. first with the EMA's CHMP recommending the approval of dapagliflozin for type 2 diabetes. Dapagliflozin team at AZ might have felt a bit of relief of heat under their collars by this recommendation since earlier in Jan 2012, the US FDA issued a Complete Response Letter asking AstraZeneca for additional clinical data to allow a better assessment of the benefit-risk profile for dapagliflozin. (FDA had pushed back the PDUFA data from October 28th, 2011, to January 28th, 2012). Secondly, the purchase of Ardea.

There is light at the end of the tunnel for AstraZeneca.