GlaxoSmithKline
In July 2005, Adherex in-licensed eniluracil from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Under the terms of the Development and License Agreement, Adherex received an exclusive license for eniluracil for all indications, and GSK retained options to buy back the compound at various points in time during its development in return for milestone payments and sales royalties to Adherex, the size of which were dependent upon if and when GSK actually exercised one of its options. If GSK did not exercise any of its buy-back options, Adherex would have been free to develop eniluracil alone or with other partners and would have been required to pay GSK development and sales milestone payments and sales royalties. Adherex paid no upfront cash for the license, and GSK made a concurrent equity investment of US$3 million to assist in its further development.
In March 2007, Adherex purchased all of GSK's remaining options under the agreement for a US$1 million upfront fee. Adherex now has full control over the development of eniluracil and is required to pay GSK the same development and sales milestone payments and sales royalties as previously agreed, but GSK's options to buy back the product no longer remain.
Eniluracil is an oral dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) inhibitor that was previously under development by GSK for oncology indications. Eniluracil is being developed by Adherex to enhance the therapeutic value and effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), one of the world’s most widely-used oncology agents.
Oregon Health & Science University
In November 2002, Adherex acquired an exclusive license agreement with Oregon Health & Science University through its acquisition of Oxiquant, Inc., which had entered into the licensing agreement with OHSU in September 2002. Under the terms of the agreement, Adherex was granted exclusive worldwide rights directed to intellectual property surrounding work done by Dr. Edward Neuwelt with respect to thiol-based compounds (including STS and NAC) and their use in oncology. In exchange, Adherex issued common stock to OHSU and agreed to pay certain development milestones and sales royalties.
McGill University
In February 2001, Adherex entered into a general collaboration agreement with McGill University whereby McGill granted to Adherex a 27-year exclusive worldwide license to certain cell adhesion technology and compounds, including ADH-1. In exchange, Adherex issued common stock to McGill and agreed to pay McGill future royalties on any gross revenues from the use of the compounds. In addition, Adherex agreed to fund certain mutually agreed upon research at McGill over a period of 10 years.
Partnering & Licensing Opportunities
Adherex is interested in pursuing partnerships with larger and intermediate-sized pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for the following programs:
- Eniluracil - Eniluracil is currently in a Phase I study of eniluracil + 5-FU in solid tumors and a Phase I/II study of eniluracil + 5-FU in hepatocellular cancer in Asian patients. Adherex is developing eniluracil to enhance the therapeutic value and effectiveness of 5-FU, one of the world's most widely-used oncology agents. Eniluracil was previously under development by GSK for oncology indications.
- ADH-1 - ADH-1 is currently in a Phase I combination clinical trial program to investigate the synergistic effects of ADH-1 with a range of chemotherapeutic agents. At the end of 2006, Adherex completed patient enrollment in two single-agent Phase II trials evaluating its safety and efficacy in the following tumor types: lung, liver, esophageal, ovarian, adrenocortical and kidney.
- Small molecule N-cadherin antagonists – Adherex has orally available peptidomimetics in preclinical development that are active at N-cadherin binding sites with greater potency profiles than ADH-1, our lead peptide, N-cadherin antagonist
- OB-cadherin antagonists - Adherex has peptide OB-cadherin antagonists in preclinical development to reduce or slow down the metastatic spread of tumors
- VE-cadherin antagonists – Adherex has peptide VE-cadherin antagonists in preclinical development that display both angiolytic and antiangiogenic properties
- Non-cancer assets – Adherex’s intellectual property portfolio includes technologies that may have application for various indications outside of oncology, including vascular pathologies such as restinosis, angiogenesis-dependent pathologies such as cardiac ischemia, and neurology pathologies such as demyelinating diseases
- STS - Adherex is developing sodium thiosulfate (STS) to protect against the hearing loss in children often associated with platinum-based chemotherapies
- NAC – Adherex is evaluating NAC as a bone marrow protectant to prevent bone marrow toxicity caused by certain chemotherapies
Companies interested in exploring partnering opportunities for any of these programs should contact Adherex at info@adherex.com or 919-484-8484.
