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news.NicOx and its partner Merck, known as MSD outside the US and Canada, have agreed to expand the scope of their worldwide license agreement, originally executed in 2006, following the discovery of a new approach to nitric oxide (NO) donation during the course of the joint research program.
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NicOx and Merck said that the approach may be used to develop new classes of NO-donating new molecular entities (NMEs), designed to offer a different mechanism for controlling the delivery of NO while retaining the potential therapeutic benefits.
NicOx’s new approach with Merck continues to build on the concept of a slow release of NO with a sustained pharmacological effect at tissue level.
As per the terms of the revised agreement, Merck has the right to develop NMEs using this new approach in certain cardiovascular indications, while NicOx will have the right to develop product candidates in other indications.
NicOx and Merck are expected to pay development milestones and royalties to the other partner on products emerging from their respective research programs.
Furthermore, each company will be responsible for funding their own research and development costs.
Additionally, NicOx and Merck do not have the option to co-promote any NMEs from the other partner resulting from this expanded license.
NicOx Research vice president Ennio Ongini said that the research collaboration with Merck has been very fruitful, and it is as a result of the scientific interaction that the new approach to NO donation was discovered.
“New molecules using this approach offer a new alternative route to exploit the biological properties of NO which can potentially be used in therapeutic areas,” Ongini said.