Nitec Pharma Licenses Tarenflurbil for Chronic Inflammation and Pain
2007 NOV 19 -- Nitec Pharma AG, an emerging specialty pharma company, announces the signing of an agreement with PAZ GmbH for the exclusive worldwide rights to Tarenflurbil, PAZ's anti-inflammatory drug, for the treatment of chronic inflammation and pain. The in-licensing of Tarenflurbil broadens Nitec's pipeline and underscores the company's ambition to become a significant player focused on treating unmet medical needs in chronic inflammation and pain. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Tarenflurbil is a novel inhibitor of the transcription regulator NF-kB and the transcription factor AP-1, both of which are important regulators of inflammation. Tarenflurbil inhibits the DNA binding activity of both targets reducing inflammation and its associated pain without any detectable effect on COX I/II so far. COX inhibition has in recent years been associated with safety concerns when used long term. Potential indications of Tarenflurbil include Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and related diseases such as Ankylosing Spondylitis. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a major cause of pain and morbidity. Its prevalence is estimated to be 11-12% of the Western population, with women being affected significantly more than men. The disease impacts severely on the physical function and day-to-day quality of life of an individual. At clinically advanced stages, Osteoarthritis is characterized by tenderness, chronic joint pain, limitation of movement and inflammation. "This licensing deal is a significant step in expanding the Nitec portfolio of development compounds," said Anders Harfstrand the CEO of Nitec. "We have already validated our approach by successfully completing the clinical development of Lodotra, which is awaiting marketing authorization for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Europe. The licensing of Tarenflurbil broadens our portfolio and strengthens our position as an emerging specialty pharma company focused on chronic inflammation and pain." Karl Nagler, Principal at Atlas Venture, added: "The in-licensing of Tarenflurbil is an important milestone in Nitec's development. It validates Nitec's ability to attract exciting development stage product opportunities based on the long standing experience and expertise of its team in developing and commercializing treatments in the field of inflammation." Tarenflurbil has already demonstrated significant pain relief in a human pain model. Nitec will initiate clinical development of Tarenflurbil shortly and plans to conduct Phase IIa studies in the first indication. Tarenflurbil will be Nitec's second clinical product candidate after Lodotra. Keywords: Ankylosing Spondylitis, Antiinflammatory, Arthritis, Immunology, Inflammation, Joint Pain, Marketing and Licensing Agreements, Orthopedics, Osteoarthritis, Pharmaceuticals, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatology, Therapy, Treatment, Nitec Pharma AG. This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsRx.com.
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