Indivior Enters Into an Exclusive Global License Agreement for C4X Discovery’s Orexin-1 (OX1) Antagonist Program
Slough, UK and Richmond, VA, 29 March 2018 – Indivior PLC (“Indivior”) (LON: INDV) today announced that its subsidiary Indivior UK Limited (“Indivior UK”) and C4X Discovery Holdings PLC (“C4X”) (AIM: C4XD) entered into a license agreement whereby Indivior UK obtained exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize C4X’s oral orexin-1 receptor antagonist program. The orexin-1 (“OX1”) molecular pathway has been identified by Indivior as a priority pathway for the treatment of addiction. Selective blockade of the OX1 system has been shown to decrease drug-seeking behaviour related to psychomotor stimulants 1, opiates2 and alcohol3, and to prevent relapse or reinstatement of drug-seeking behaviour during abstinence4. Indivior believes that further development of the OX1 pathway may lead to significant advances in medication assisted treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders.
The agreement with C4X includes lead candidate C4X3256, a novel, first-in-class, oral, small molecule that has demonstrated preclinical efficacy and tolerability in animal models. The collaboration also includes a library of additional OX1 compounds in the same chemical family.
Under the terms of the agreement, Indivior UK will make an upfront payment to C4X of $10 million with potential milestone payments to C4X that could total $284 million over time if all development, regulatory and commercial goals are achieved.
“We are continuing to extensively review and invest in targeted new treatments that extend our understanding of and leadership in addiction,” said Shaun Thaxter, CEO of Indivior. “The OX1 pathway is a key molecular pathway we are targeting for development and is particularly attractive to us for its potential as a non-narcotic mechanism for treating and preventing relapse across a broad range of substance use disorders. Our development of the OX1 pathway will leverage the current efforts we have already underway internally and through other collaborations as we pursue novel treatments for addiction.”
“We believe C4X’s OX1 program is one of the most promising early stage programs to potentially treat addiction and look forward to rapidly advancing lead compound C4X3256 into the clinic,” said Christian Heidbreder, Chief Scientific Officer of Indivior. “Further, we believe there is great potential for additional compounds to be discovered and developed with respect to this important mechanism that will contribute to the continued elucidation of the neurobiological underpinnings of withdrawal symptoms, drug intake, craving, relapse, and co-morbid psychiatric associations.”
About Indivior
Indivior is a global specialty pharmaceutical company with a 20-year legacy of leadership in patient advocacy and health policy while providing education on evidence-based treatment models that have revolutionized modern addiction treatment. The name is the fusion of the words individual and endeavour, and the tagline “Focus on you” makes the Company’s commitment clear. Indivior is dedicated to transforming addiction from a global human crisis to a recognized and treated chronic disease. Building on its global portfolio of opioid dependence treatments, Indivior has a strong pipeline of product candidates designed to both expand on its heritage in this category and address other chronic conditions and co-occurring disorders of addiction, including AUD and schizophrenia. Headquartered in the United States in Richmond, VA, Indivior employs more than 1,000 individuals globally and its portfolio of products is available in over 40 countries worldwide. Visit www.indivior.com to learn more.
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References
- Hutcheson et al. Behav Pharmacol. 2011 Apr;22(2):173-81.
- Baimel et al. Br J Pharmacol. 2015 Jan; 172(2):334-48
- Moorman et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2018 Mar 6.
- James et al. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2017; 33:247-281.
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