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Alcon expands corporate alliances, diversifies drug development program
The company obtains global rights to cilomilast from GlaxoSmithKline and expands its relationship with Origenis to develop new ophthalmic products.
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Alcon has entered into a licensing agreement with a pharmaceutical company and expanded an existing agreement with a German biotechnology firm to bolster its ophthalmic drug development program, according to Alcon officials.
 Doug MacHatton |
Alcon signed a licensing agreement with GlaxoSmithKline for global ophthalmic rights to cilomilast, a phosphodiesterase IV inhibitor, with the intention of developing it for dry eye and other ophthalmic conditions, Alcon announced in a news release.
The company also expanded its existing drug research collaboration agreement with Origenis, which is based near Munich.
“I think together they reflect a continuation of our desire to bring new molecules and tools into our research area,” Doug MacHatton, Alcon vice president for investor relations and strategic corporate communications, told Ocular Surgery News. “Together, they represent expanding our tool box to bring new products to market.”
Targeted dry eye agent
The pact with GlaxoSmithKline calls for Alcon to make an initial payment and additional payments to GlaxoSmithKline upon reaching developmental goals and obtaining ophthalmic product approvals involving cilomilast, according to an Alcon news release.
“We hope this compound will become a novel way to address the dry eye condition and improve the types of drugs that are available to physicians to treat their patients,” Mr. MacHatton said. “We have to develop a formulation that works in the eye and then move into the clinic with it, but we believe it has potential for treating dry eye.”
Alcon will pay royalties on future product sales involving cilomilast. Additionally, GlaxoSmithKline will retain all rights to cilomilast for non-ophthalmic indications and will hold the right to co-promote the compound to some physicians for ophthalmic indications, according to the Alcon release.
“Alcon’s focus is on expanding our research pipeline through targeted collaborations,” Sabri Markabi, MD, Alcon senior vice president of research and development, said in the release. “We believe the cilomilast compound has potential for treating dry eye as well as other ophthalmic conditions.”
A new research tool
The expanded Alcon-Origenis agreement is designed to capitalize on the two companies’ molecular discovery and drug development capabilities to identify and develop molecules aimed at specific ophthalmic targets, according to an Origenis news release.
Alcon will retain the rights to any products developed for ophthalmic and nasal applications through Origenis’ MOREsystem, a proprietary molecular discovery platform, according to the Alcon release.
“They have a process that enhances the ability to find multiple types of molecules to fit and address different pathways of disease,” Mr. MacHatton said. “The Origenis deal is focused primarily on ocular allergy at this time, although, no specific compound has been identified at this time.”
Origenis will hold rights to all other applications of drug candidates developed through the alliance. Alcon will also pay Origenis a series of developmental milestone payments and sales royalties, according to the release.
“The terms of the agreement provide [Origenis] with the potential for a continuing revenue stream as drug candidates move through the development process and ultimately to new, marketed products,” Mr. MacHatton said. “However, right now this collaboration is really more of a pure research process.” – by Matt Hasson
- Doug MacHatton can be reached at Alcon Laboratories, 6201 South Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76134; 817-551-8974; e-mail: doug.machatton@alconlabs.com.