As per the agreement, Zalicus will pay Hydra an upfront payment and fund research and development activities at Hydra for a two-year period.
Hydra will perform the preclinical development activities necessary to advance Zalicus’ preclinical ion channel product candidates toward clinical development.
Zalicus will retain all intellectual property and commercial rights to its product candidates.
Zalicus’ clinical-stage novel ion channel modulators currently in Phase 1 clinical development for pain, including Z-160 and Z944 are not included in this collaboration, the company said.
Zalicus CEO Mark Corrigan said they advance a number of ion channel modulators into preclinical development with the goal of selecting the best candidates to move into clinical development.