PHARMACEUTICALS
Joslin Clinic, a diabetes care facility; and Joslin Strategic Initiatives, which develops and markets innovative programmes, products and services that expand the availability of the organisation’s knowledge and expertise to patients and clinicians worldwide.
Sanofi has formed a number of partnerships in the field of diabetes offering diagnostics, therapies, services, and devices including innovative blood glucose monitoring systems. The company also markets injectable and oral medications for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Investigational compounds in its pipeline include an injectable GLP-1 agonist being studied as a single agent, in combination with basal insulin, and/or in combination with oral antidiabetic agents.
Roche and Seaside collaborate in autism research
Sanofi is strongly research focused: pictured are facilities in Toulouse, France.
studies conducted by the three companies suggest that this co-formulated chaperone- ERT product may provide greater alpha-Gal A enzyme uptake into tissue and markedly reduced levels of GL-3 in Fabry disease- relevant tissues compared to recombinant enzyme alone. Amicus and GSK believe that the product has the potential to enter clinical studies in 2013.
Sanofi and Joslin Diabetes Center diabetes alliance
In June, Sanofi and the Joslin Diabetes Center, a teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, formed a collaboration to promote the development of new medicines for the treatment of diabetes and related disorders. The collaboration focuses on four main areas within diabetes and related metabolic disorders to identify potential new biologics or small-molecule candidates for the treatment of late complications of diabetes and new insulin analogues with more targeted efficacy. In addition, research will address the challenges of insulin resistance and personalised medicine, with the overall aim of improving the lives of people living with diabetes. Under the agreement, Sanofi has options to commercialise the results of the research and the two organisations have access to intellectual property for internal research use. Joslin Diabetes Center is a leading diabetes research and clinical care organisation. Founded in 1898, the centre has more than 600 employees in three major divisions: Joslin Research, which undertakes research aimed at preventing and curing type 1 and type 2 diabetes and their long-term complications;
Roche and Seaside Therapeutics formed a collaboration in June to develop disease- modifying treatments for fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), both neurodevelopmental disorders for which there are currently no effective
pharmacological treatments that address core symptoms. The alliance aims to speed up research and development in this field and lead a fundamental change in the treatment paradigm for FXS and ASD by developing therapeutics that target the molecular basis and, in turn, core symptoms of these neurodevelopmental disorders. Within the agreement, Roche has acquired from Seaside licenses to patents covering the use of mGluR5 antagonists for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. Roche is leading the development and
commercialisation of these compounds for the treatment of FXS and ASD. Its mGluR5 drug candidate RG7090, is currently in Phase 2 development.
Seaside is developing its GABA-B agonist programme and has retained exclusive rights to issued and pending patents covering the use of GABA-B agonists for the treatment of FXS and ASD. The company’s lead GABA-B candidate STX209 is in Phase 3 development in FXS and Phase 2b development in ASD. Roche may commercialise STX209 upon completion of certain clinical development phases but Seaside is continuing to lead the clinical development of these programmes. ASD refers to a group of enigmatic cognitive disorders that impair social interaction and communication, whereas FXS is a rare genetic disease, with symptoms that closely resemble ASD. There are no approved pharmacological therapies that address core symptoms for either condition, and the
compounds that Roche and Seaside Therapeutics are developing hold the promise to become the best-in-class treatments by restoring synaptic transmission in ASD and FXS patients.
The most commonly inherited form of autism involves the gene encoding fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Loss of FMRP function disrupts signaling between neurons, leading to widespread brain abnormalities and mental retardation. Normally, FMRP is balanced by mGluR5, an important receptor in the brain involved in learning and memory. Without normal FMRP, this balance is lost, leaving mGluR5 function unopposed. Early results from a clinical trial suggest that children with fragile X syndrome can be helped by drugs that inhibit mGluR5 activity. Roche currently has three compounds in clinical development in ASD. A Phase 2 trial is ongoing in adult and adolescent fragile X patients through a wide age range to investigate the safety and efficacy of Roche mGluR5 antagonist RG7090, and in parallel the company is exploring biomarkers to identify patients most likely to benefit from this treatment.
BMS and Emory University oncology compounds partnership
In June, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Emory University announced a partnership to advance the clinical development of investigational compounds, initially focusing on clinical trial programmes in oncology. Under the newly established Master Clinical Trial Agreement, investigators from Emory University and affiliated institutions will conduct Phase 2, Phase 3 and pediatric clinical trials to support the ongoing development of investigational medicines from across the BMS portfolio, in areas that include metabolics, hepatitis C and immunoscience, in addition to oncology. The agreement builds on recent work between the two organisations in conducting clinical trials in organ transplantation and cancer.
For further information visit the following websites:
www.pfizer.com www.astrazeneca.com www.merck.com www.chimerix.com www.gsk.com www.amicustherapeutics.com www.sanofi.com www.joslin.org www.roche.com www.seasidetherapeutics.com www.bms.com www.emory.edu
September/October 2012 sp2 Inter-Active 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44