Antisoma to develop Cancer Research UK compounds
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Antisomahas signed a licensing agreement with the Institute of Cancer Research and Cancer Research Technology(CRT), the commercialisation arm ofCancer Research UK, to acquire the rights to develop and commercialise PPM1D (protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1 d) inhibitors, which are thought to selectively kill cells that over-express this phosphatase. Antisoma will make an up-front payment and fund certain research at the institute. The company will also pay development and regulatory milestones as well as royalties on any sales of compounds resulting from the collaboration. The agreement is crucial in allowing the charity to take discoveries in its laboratory to patients much faster than it could achieve on its own, said Professor Paul Workman, director of the Cancer Research UK Centre for Cancer Therapeutics at the institute.