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news.US-based Questcor Pharmaceuticals has entered into a development collaboration agreement with an undisclosed privately held European company for the development of new melanocortin peptides.
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The deal includes an option to acquire the technology during clinical development.
Along with the June 2013 acquisition of Synacthen, the new deal expands the company’s portfolio of melanocortin therapeutics.
Questcor chief operating officer Steve Cartt said the company’s commercial experience and scientific evaluation of both Acthar and Synacthen has allowed it to develop a comprehensive understanding of the potential for melanocortin therapeutics in the treatment of serious autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
"We are particularly excited that this collaboration allows us to build on our success by investing in the development of the next generation of melanocortin therapeutics," Cartt said.
"Our efforts will focus on novel, receptor-selective peptide compounds designed to target specific melanocortin cellular receptors in order to address specific diseases with high unmet medical need.
"This effort has the potential to more effectively address certain diseases where the broader melanocortin pharmacological profiles of both Acthar and Synacthen are less desirable, including new indications for which neither product is presently utilized."
The deal includes a technology platform that provides Questcor with a new library of melanocortin peptides.
Questcor has already carried out initial preclinical evaluation on a number of peptides and from this exercise has selected lead peptides with which to move forward.
Acthar and Synacthen are broad-acting melanocortin peptide formulations which bind to all five known melanocortin receptors.
Unlike them, the licensed technology platform provides peptides designed to target specific melanocortin receptors that the company believes are particularly relevant to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
As part of the deal, Questcor has secured an exclusive worldwide license to the peptides and technology.
The company will fund the development of the peptides and will have the option to acquire the technology at a later date.