Myogen and Novartis expand cardio collaboration

Myogen has also achieved three development milestones under an existing research collaboration with Novartis, which has been in operation since 2003. Achievement of these milestones will trigger payments to Myogen in accordance with the agreement.

The expansion of the collaboration extends research funding for a minimum of three years and includes undisclosed signing fees, milestone payments and royalty payments on sales of products that are successfully commercialized.

Upon the completion of phase II clinical trials of certain histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) product candidates licensed by Novartis under the collaboration, Myogen has an option to enter into a co-promotion and profit sharing agreement in certain markets, subject to certain research payments.

“We are delighted with the progress made to date under our partnership agreement and we are pleased to broaden the collaboration to include HDAC inhibitors,” said William Freytag, president and CEO of Myogen. “We believe the HDACi program has significant potential therapeutic value. Through this partnership, we have an exciting opportunity to advance the discovery and development of novel small molecule compounds that selectively inhibit HDACs for treatment of cardiac diseases.”

Recent research at Myogen suggests that HDAC inhibitors represent a valid approach to the development of novel, disease-modifying cardiac therapeutics. Myogen scientists have shown that HDAC inhibitors block pathological cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and up-regulate the expression of alpha myosin heavy chain while decreasing beta myosin isoform expression.

Myogen believes that this research holds promise for the discovery of small molecule drugs that halt, or reverse, pathological cardiac remodeling and its underlying gene reprogramming and have the potential to improve the function of the failing heart.