Menlo Therapeutics signs license agreement for pruritus treatment in Japan

Menlo Therapeutics announced it has signed a license agreement with Japan Tobacco and Torri Pharmaceutical Co. for developing and commercializing serlopitant for treating pruritus in Japan.

Selopitant, a first-in-class once-daily oral NK-1 receptor antagonist candidate, has shown antipruitic effects in treating patients with severe, chronic pruritus in a phase 2 clinical trial, according to a press release from the Menlo Park, California-based pharmaceutical company.

Upon completion of development and approval processes, Japan Tobacco and Torii will jointly develop serlopitant in Japan, with Torri commercializing it. Menlo Therapeutics will receive upfront licensing fees and payments “upon the achievement of certain milestones, and royalties based on future sales in Japan,” according to the release.

In the phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the cohorts treated with serlopitant showed reduced pruritus when compared with patients treated with placebo, and improvement was statistically significant with two higher dose levels, according to the release.

“[Japan Tobacco] and Torri have significant pruritus development and marketing experience in Japan, and they are the current market leader in pruritus therapy for patients on hemodialysis,” Steve Basta, CEO of Menlo Therapeutics, stated in the release. “Torii also has a strong established position in the Japanese dermatology market.”

Reference: www.menlotherapeutics.com