H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) today announced that it has signed agreements with Zenobia Therapeutics (Zenobia) and Vernalis plc (Vernalis) which will provide Lundbeck with access to know-how relevant for making inhibitors for Leucine-rich repeat kinases. A member of this family of kinases, the Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a high priority target for Lundbeck due to it's relevance in several therapeutic indications, including Parkinson's disease.
Lundbeck will collaborate with Zenobia and utilize Zenobia's expertise in protein expression and x-ray crystallography for the LRRK2 target. Under the agreement, Zenobia will complete x-ray crystal structures of wild-type and a Parkinson's disease associated mutant in complex with Lundbeck lead compounds. Zenobia retains all rights and ownership of the LRRK2 structure and to their internal LRRK2 chemistry program. The financial terms of this collaboration are not disclosed.
The Vernalis agreement will focus on a drug discovery collaboration utilising Vernalis' fragment and structure-based drug discovery platform. Under the terms of the agreement, Lundbeck and Vernalis will collaborate in identifying candidate compounds that can inhibit LRRK2. Vernalis will receive fees and a potential share in the downstream success of the product in the form of milestones and royalties on sales. The financial terms of this collaboration are not disclosed.
"These collaborations are important supplements to Lundbeck's commitment to provide new innovative medicines in the CNS field in areas with high unmet needs. They represent another step in Lundbeck's new R&D strategy to ensure we have the most efficient platform for the future discovery and development of drugs that will be able to help and treat biologically defined groups of patients with brain diseases. It is this type of drugs we expect will be in demand in the future", says Peter Høngaard Andersen, Executive Vice President, Research Management at Lundbeck.
LRRK2, also known as dardarin, is an enzyme that is encoded by the LRRK2 gene(1). Mutations in this gene represent one of the risk factors for the development of Parkinson's disease(2). Four LRRK2 gene variants found are found in the familial Parkinson's cases, but infrequent in the general population. LRRK2 inhibition potentially has neuroprotective propensities as it seems the gene is expressed at high levels in dopamine producing neurons.
About Vernalis
Vernalis is a development stage pharmaceutical company with significant expertise in taking promising product candidates along a commercially-focused path to market. The company has one marketed product, frovatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine, and nine candidates in development, six of which are designated priority programmes. Three of these priority programmes are currently unpartnered and three are partnered. Pipeline programmes are derived from both Vernalis' research activities where the company has significant expertise in fragment and structure based drug discovery, as well as from collaborations. Vernalis' technologies, capabilities and products are endorsed by collaborations with Biogen Idec, Chiesi, Endo, GSK, Menarini, Novartis and Servier.
About Zenobia
Zenobia provides a commercial fragment library, and access to their structural biology, crystallography and fragment-based lead discovery expertise through partnerships, consulting and collaborations. Zenobia's internal programs combine fragment-based lead discovery with the expertise of biologists and clinicians to find treatments for devastating illnesses for which there is no disease altering treatment such as Parkinson's disease and pediatric neuroblastoma.
About Lundbeck
H. Lundbeck A/S (LUN.CO, LUN DC, HLUKY) is an international pharmaceutical company highly committed to improving the quality of life for people suffering from central nervous system (CNS) disorders. For this purpose, Lundbeck is engaged in the research and development, production, marketing and sale of pharmaceuticals across the world. The company's products are targeted at disorders such as depression and anxiety, schizophrenia, insomnia, epilepsy and Huntington's, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Lundbeck was founded in 1915 by Hans Lundbeck in Copenhagen, Denmark. Today Lundbeck employs approximately 5,900 people worldwide. Lundbeck is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies working with CNS disorders. In 2009, the company's revenue was DKK 13.7 billion (approximately EUR 1.8 billion or USD 2.6 billion).
1. Neuron, Volume 44, Issue 4, 595-600, 18 November 2004
2. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Volume 11, 791, December 2010