Advertise With UsAdvertise on our extensive network of industry websites and newsletters.
Get the PBR newsletterSign up to our free email to get all the latest PBR
news.Sonus Pharmaceuticals has signed an exclusive in-licensing agreement with Bayer HealthCare for development of a family of compounds known as caspase activators presently in preclinical research.
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Under terms of the agreement, Sonus was granted exclusive rights to develop two core compounds for all prophylactic and therapeutic uses in humans. Additionally, Sonus was granted rights to all other non-core compounds covered under the patents for use in oncology.
Bayer retained rights to develop biological conjugates of the molecules (excluding the two core compounds), and agreed not to develop the non-core compounds as small molecules or pro-drugs for use in oncology.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Bayer will receive an upfront license fee of $450,000, milestone payments, and royalties on sales of any compounds successfully commercialized upon the FDA approval.
Mike Martino, president and CEO of Sonus, said: “We are very excited to add this class of small molecule oncology compounds to our existing portfolio with SN2310, and we believe it will be very complementary to the existing oncology programs at OncoGenex as well. Based on the current plans and resources, we would expect to move this compound into Phase I clinical development within 12-18 months.”