Autifony and Jazz Pharmaceuticals Forge Exclusive Global License and Collaboration Accord for Two Ion Channel Targets in Neurological Disorders
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Autifony Therapeutics Limited, a pioneer in developing innovative pharmaceutical treatments for rare central nervous system (CNS) disorders and other serious brain diseases, recently disclosed an exclusive global licensing agreement with Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ). The agreement involves the joint discovery and development of drug candidates targeting two distinct ion channel targets associated with neurological disorders, with an investment commitment of up to $770.5 million.
In this collaboration, Autifony will take the lead in drug discovery and preclinical development for the two identified targets. Following the successful completion of preclinical development, Jazz will assume responsibility for clinical development, manufacturing, regulatory activities, and eventual commercialization.
Per the agreement's terms, Autifony will receive an initial payment from Jazz and stands to gain from development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments across both programs. The potential combined value of upfront and milestone payments is up to $770.5 million, and Autifony is also entitled to royalties on future net sales.
Autifony Therapeutics, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with Jazz Pharmaceuticals. He highlighted Autifony's expertise in small molecule ion channel drug discovery and development, emphasizing the potential groundbreaking benefits for patients in various indications.
Autifony is leveraging its scientific expertise and proprietary ion channel drug discovery platform to build a pipeline of small molecule modulators that selectively target specific subtypes of ion channels. Ion channels play a crucial role in numerous physiological functions, including nerve and muscle activity. Diseases associated with defects in ion channel function, known as "channelopathies," present opportunities for precision medicine in conditions that have historically been challenging to treat.
This partnership marks a strategic alliance between Autifony's scientific capabilities and Jazz Pharmaceuticals' track record of advancing neuroscience development programs and effectively bringing novel therapies to market. The collaboration holds promise for advancing treatments and offering improvements over existing standards of care for patients dealing with neurological disorders.
Source: businesswire.com
