Raptor acquires exclusive rights to intellectual property from McGill University

The McGill patent covers the use of cysteamine and related compounds in the possible treatment of malaria in combination with artemisinin.

Raptor chief medical officer Patrice Rioux said the research done at McGill has indicated that cysteamine may have clinical utility in malaria.

"As malaria remains a difficult to treat disease, we feel this is an appropriate and exciting therapeutic area to extend our studies of cysteamine bitartrate," Rioux added.

Researchers at McGill reported that, the combination reduced parasite levels in red blood cells and at the same time improved survival rates compared to artemisinin alone, in mouse models of malaria.

Raptor clinical division president Ted Daley said, "The McGill agreement provides Raptor with an entrée into the area of infectious disease that is based on what we believe are compelling and novel preclinical findings."