As per the agreement, CrystalGenomics is expected to receive research funding from AstraZeneca for two years. CrystalGenomics will also be eligible to receive future milestones and royalty payments associated with development and commercialisation of a drug candidate.
Reportedly, the goal of the collaboration is to generate optimised lead compounds against a pre-agreed bacterial target, furthering AstraZeneca’s ability to progress novel targets in this important therapeutic area. To accomplish this, CrystalGenomics will use its structure-based drug discovery platform technology to optimise selected novel scaffolds from AstraZeneca’s compound library against an antibacterial target, which has been validated by AstraZeneca.
Both the companies will perform in-vitro enzyme and cell based assays, structure determination, medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetic studies, toxicology tests and pharmacological evaluations under the collaboration. AstraZeneca will be responsible for preclinical and clinical development and commercialisation.
Joong Myung president and CEO of CrystalGenomics, said: “We are very pleased that AstraZeneca has chosen to collaborate with CrystalGenomics. This partnership leverages the capabilities of CrystalGenomics and AstraZeneca in creating a world-class drug discovery and development network.”