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news.Pfizer has agreed to acquire Rinat Neuroscience Corp, a privately held biotech firm which develops treatments for diseases and disorders of the central nervous system.
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“Rinat is a pioneer in developing protein-based therapeutics and we see tremendous potential in its research to develop new medicines, notably for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease,” said John LaMattina, president, Global R&D for Pfizer.
Pfizer has a strong presence in neuroscience through its portfolio of leading medicines for the treatment of conditions including neuropathic pain, migraine, depression, anxiety, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.
In recent years, the company has made significant internal and external investments to build a substantial research presence in biologics through a focus on key therapeutic areas that complement Pfizer’s own small molecule research.
Rinat, which is developing novel approaches to neuroscience-based protein therapeutics, was founded in 2001 when Genentech granted Rinat broad licenses to its key neuroscience assets.
The most advanced new drug candidate in Rinat’s pipeline is RN624, a potential new treatment for acute and chronic pain that is currently entering phase II clinical trials. RN624 inhibits nerve growth factor (NGF) which may play a role in reducing chronic pain without side effects common in similar therapies.
The company is also developing RN1219 for the potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. RN1219, a humanized monoclonal antibody, has been shown to reduce amyloid plaque in pre-clinical studies.