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Barely into its second year of operation, Addrenex has signed a licensingagreement with UNeMed Corporation, the technology transfer arm of theUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center. The partnership will widely expandAddrenex's drug pipeline from a single product to myriad drugs aimed atmedical conditions as diverse as hypertension, attention deficit hyperactivitydisorder (ADHD), pain, menopausal symptoms, insomnia, and post traumaticstress disorder (PTSD).
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The agreement with the University of Nebraska Medical Center is thecompany's second in six months. In July, Addrenex signed a licensing agreementwith Sciele Pharma to market Clonicel, Addrenex's first product, upon FDAapproval. The agreement with Sciele included $6 million in upfront equity,$11 million in potential milestones, and future royalty payments on productsales. Clonicel is a sustained release formulation of clonidinehydrochloride, a drug used to treat hypertension and ADHD.
The latest contract with the University of Nebraska Medical Center givesAddrenex exclusive rights to the university's library of nearly 400 compoundsthat target "adrenergic" receptors -- docking sites on cells that react withthe hormones adrenalin and noradrenalin.
While the adrenergic system is best known for its role in triggering the"fight or flight" response, it is actually a vast and varied regulator ofmultiple processes, including blood pressure, mental health and well-being,energy levels and sleep, pain and addiction.
The alpha-2 adrenergic receptors in particular have been implicated in awide variety of medical conditions such as hypertension, ADHD, post-menopausalsymptoms, pain, aggression, sleep disorders, and PTSD.
However, only a handful of drugs currently on the market are known totarget and restore the adrenergic system when it malfunctions, said Dr. MoiseKhayrallah, co-founder and CEO of Addrenex. Clonidine is one such drug.
Addrenex sought the deal with the University of Nebraska Medical Center torapidly acquire new drug candidates by tapping into the university'sconsiderable scientific expertise and its pre-existing library of alpha-2adrenergic compounds. The library and associated intellectual property weregifted to the university by Procter and Gamble in 2002. Two of the compoundshave been tested in clinical trials involving 700 patients with either nasalcongestion or migraine headache.
"If Addrenex succeeds in developing several lead compounds that target theadrenergic system, the potential sales from these products could exceed $2billion dollars annually," said Khayrallah, a drug development expert with atrack record of bringing drugs to market.
Under the current agreement, Addrenex will provide the university withmilestone payments and future royalties on sales for drugs that are developed,approved and marketed. The specific terms were not disclosed.
"With this portfolio, we have a great tool to investigate adrenergicconditions from a multitude of angles," he added. "This collaboration with oneof the premier research centers in this field will allow us to fine tune ourintervention at the alpha-2 receptor pathway and address a much wider array ofmedical conditions than we would be able to address on our own."
The goal is to identify compounds that precisely target alpha-2 adrenergicreceptors but not other receptors, thereby reducing the risk of side effects,said Dr. David Bylund, a professor in the Department of Pharmacology andExperimental Neuroscience at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Compounds that appear to have the greatest affinity for the
