Lundbeck Research USA, Inc.

The activation of KCNQ2 channels is likely to offer treatment options for neurological disorders, including rare forms of epilepsy. Credit: Madrolly on Shutterstock.com. Biotechnology company Neuro3 Therapeutics has signed an exclusive worldwide licence and option agreement with pharmaceutical firm Lundbeck to develop and commercialise clinical stage KCNQ2 activators. Neuro3 Therapeutics will receive global licences for intellectual property that cover two clinical stage and one pre-clinical stage KCNQ2 activator programmes. Recommended Reports Reports Complement Factor D (C3 Convertase Activator or Adipsin or Properdin Factor D or CFD or EC 3.4.21... GlobalData Reports GPI Anchored Wall Transfer Protein 1 (PfGWT1 or EC 2.3.) Drugs in Development by Therapy Areas an... GlobalData View all The company will also handle the further development of these programmes through clinical proof-of-concept (PoC). Lundbeck will have the option to co-develop and co-commercialise these KCNQ2 activators with Neuro3 after the completion of the PoC studies. The company also holds an option to exclusively license back the rights in some territories. Neuro3 Therapeutics founder and CEO Zheng Li stated: “We are excited to further the development of these novel KCNQ2 activators. “Given the critical role of KCNQ2 in maintaining brain functions and the demonstrated clinical validation of this mechanism, we look forward to evaluating the clinical benefit of these KCNQ2 activators in the treatment of various CNS diseases.” KCNQ2 is an ion channel that has been clinically validated as a target to treat epilepsy. According to the clinical findings, the KCNQ2 channel’s activation is likely to offer treatment options for other types of neurological disorders, including rare forms of epilepsy. Lundbeck Research global head and senior vice-president Tarek Samad stated: “We are pleased to enter into this agreement with Neuro3 that allows us to assess the clinical potential of these KCNQ2 activators by leveraging Neuro3 discovery and early development expertise in the CNS diseases.”

PRINCETON, N.J. & DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) and H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) announce the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that the supplementary New Drug Application (sNDA) for brexpiprazole for the use in the treatment of agitation associated with Alzheimer’s dementia (AAD) is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. The FDA has assigned the application priority review and a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of May 10, 2023. The FDA also indicated that they are currently planning to hold a Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee meeting to discuss the application. The sNDA submission includes data from two positive clinical phase III studies that investigated the treatment of brexpiprazole in patients with AAD. Study 331-12-283 demonstrated brexpiprazole 2 mg/day was statistically superior to placebo for the primary endpoint of mean change in Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) Total Score from baseline to Week 12 (p < 0.05). In Study 331-14-213, treatment with brexpiprazole 2 and 3 mg/day showed statistically significant improvement compared with placebo for the primary efficacy endpoint, the mean change in CMAI Total Score from baseline to Week 12 (p < 0.05). “Agitation associated with Alzheimer’s dementia is complex and difficult to navigate for both patients and caregivers,” said John Kraus, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. “New treatments in this area are desperately needed. Our commitment to patients is unwavering as we work to provide them and their caregivers with an option to help lessen the symptoms of agitation.” “This milestone is important in our efforts to bring patients with Alzheimer’s dementia and their caregivers one step closer to having a potential treatment option that may address a major disabling neuropsychiatric symptom of the disease,” said Johan Luthman, executive vice president, Lundbeck Research & Development. About Agitation in Alzheimer’s Dementia Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of Alzheimer’s dementia, such as agitation are associated with poor caregiver outcomes, including reduced quality of life and poorer health.1-4 Agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom of Alzheimer’s dementia. It is reported in approximately 45 percent of patients with Alzheimer’s dementia and has a large impact on quality of life for the patients, family members, and caregivers.5-6 Agitation covers a large group of behaviors occurring in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia, and it is an excessive/inappropriate manifestation of “normal” human emotions and behaviors. Such behaviors include pacing, gesturing, profanity, shouting, shoving, and hitting.7 Symptoms of agitation are also a consistent predictor of nursing home admission in patients with dementia.8-10 About Brexpiprazole Brexpiprazole was approved in the U.S. on July 10, 2015, as an adjunctive therapy to antidepressants in adults with major depressive disorder and as a treatment for schizophrenia in adults. Brexpiprazole was also approved in 2017 in Health Canada and by the EMA in Europe in 2018 for the treatment of schizophrenia. Brexpiprazole was discovered by Otsuka and is being co-developed by Otsuka and Lundbeck. The mechanism of action of brexpiprazole is unknown, however the efficacy of brexpiprazole may be mediated through a combination of partial agonist activity at serotonin 5-HT1A and dopamine D2 receptors and antagonism at noradrenaline alpha1B/2C receptors and at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. In addition, brexpiprazole is an antagonist at noradrenaline alpha 1a, 1b, 1d and 2c receptors and partial agonist activity at serotonin5-HT1A and dopamine D2 receptors all at pharmacologically relevant potencies.11-12 About H. Lundbeck A/S Lundbeck is a global pharmaceutical company specialized in brain diseases. For more than 70 years, we have been at the forefront of neuroscience research. We are tirelessly dedicated to restoring brain health, so every person can be their best. We are committed to fighting stigma and discrimination against people living with brain diseases and advocating for broader social acceptance of people with brain health conditions. Our research programs tackle some of the most complex challenges in neuroscience, and our pipeline is focused on bringing forward transformative treatments for brain diseases for which there are few, if any therapeutic options. For additional information, we encourage you to visit our corporate site www.lundbeck.com and connect with us on Twitter at @Lundbeck and via LinkedIn. About Otsuka Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: Otsuka–people creating new products for better health worldwide. Otsuka researches, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products to meet unmet medical needs and nutraceutical products for the maintenance of everyday health. In pharmaceuticals, Otsuka is a leader in the challenging areas of mental, renal, and cardiovascular health and has additional research programs in oncology and on several under-addressed diseases including tuberculosis, a significant global public health issue. These commitments illustrate how Otsuka is a “big venture” company at heart, applying a youthful spirit of creativity in everything it does. Otsuka established a presence in the U.S. in 1973 and today its U.S. affiliates include Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI). These two companies’ 2,000 employees in the U.S. develop and commercialize medicines in the areas of mental health, nephrology, and cardiology, using cutting-edge technology to address unmet healthcare needs. OPDC and OAPI are indirect subsidiaries of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 47,000 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 13.6 billion in 2021. All Otsuka stories start by taking the road less traveled. Learn more about Otsuka in the U.S. at www.otsuka-us.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter at @OtsukaUS. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.’s global website is accessible at https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/