On June 16, 2021 Servier, a global independent pharmaceutical Group, and PRISM BioLab, a Japan based biotechnology company with proprietary small molecule drug discovery platform, "PepMeticsTechnology", reported that they have entered into a Collaboration and Exclusive License Option Agreement(Press release, Servier, JUN 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234584046]).

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Under the collaboration agreement, PepMetics technology provided by PRISM BioLab are utilized to identify from their library or synthetize, characterize, and optimize small molecule compounds capable of binding and stimulating the activity of the target specified by Servier.

Wesley Blackaby, Ph.D, Head of Chemistry at Servier says: "We look forward to working with PRISM BioLab in this collaboration. The PRISM BioLab technology has the potential to help with the identification and optimization of novel compounds against hard to drug targets, in particular in cancer, which is one of the Group’s priority R&D areas."

Upon finding the lead compounds, Servier has the option to license the lead compounds for further optimization and clinical development.

PRISM BioLab will receive collaboration fee and option fees payments under the Option Agreement, and further milestones and royalty payments under the License Agreement. Specific financial terms are not disclosed.

Dai Takehara, President and CEO, PRISM BioLab, says: "We are delighted to partner with Servier who is committed to delivering therapy for patients by challenging novel targets. Our proprietary PepMetics Technology has generated various pipelines for previously undruggable targets, and our team is excited to challenge Servier’s novel target together."

PepMetics Molecules are designed to mimic α-helix or β-turn peptide using unique scaffold with corresponding dihedral angles. These motifs are essential for protein-protein interactions within the cell especially related to transcription and translation.

Using this technology, two clinical stage pipelines for cancer and fibrosis have been developed and licensed to Japanese Pharma companies, and many early pipelines and research seeds are created for novel and previously undruggable targets.

Véronique Blanc, Ph.D, Research Program Head – Immuno-Oncology at Servier, says: "Intra-cellular pathways and targets offer multiple opportunities to modulate the innate and adaptive immune response in cancer and represent a source of future innovation, that we are committed to explore. As many immune-oncology intracellular targets are difficult to drug, the design of innovative and adapted modulators is critical for the development of new drugs.

On June 16, 2021 ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan drugs and Gustave Roussy, the leading cancer center in Europe, reported that the European Patent Office has issued Patent EP3613436, which is directed to Kimozo, the first pediatric, ready-to-use and taste-masked oral suspension of temozolomide(Press release, ORPHELIA Pharma, JUN 16, 2021, http://www.orphelia-pharma.eu/news/european-patent-covering-kimozo/ [SID1234584045]). Kimozo results from the collaboration between the pharmacists and clinicians from Gustave Roussy and ORPHELIA Pharma.

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"Temozolomide is an essential oncology drug used to treat relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, a disease that unfortunately affects very young children. We are working in close collaboration with European clinicians and our goal is to make this pediatric form of temozolomide available as early as 2021 through early access programs"; commented Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma.

"We have developed a hospital compounded liquid preparation of temozolomide in 2015 to address the needs of young patients treated at our center", explain Maxime Annereau, pharmacist and Samuel Abbou, pediatric oncologist at Gustave Roussy, both at the origin of this project. "This hospital formulation was suitable for children but did not exhibit the physico-chemical and stability properties compatible with an industrialized product. This product was therefore not available to all patients. Three years of research and development between Gustave Roussy and ORPHELIA Pharma were necessary in order to achieve the targeted specifications: a highly concentrated, taste-masked and stable formulation".

"Our research efforts led to the development of Kimozo, the first drinkable formulation of temozolomide. The innovation is based on the discovery of a key excipient involved in the stability and the control of the rheological properties of the suspension, an invention that has been patented", concludes Jeremy Bastid.

The grant of Patent EP3613436 entitled "oral suspension of temozolomide" and co-owned by ORPHELIA Pharma and Gustave Roussy has been published in the European Patent Bulletin. Based on the filing date of the application, the patent protection is expected to last until 2038.

On June 16, 2021 Nkarta, Inc. (Nasdaq: NKTX), a biopharmaceutical company developing engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies to treat cancer, reported its participation at this upcoming investor conference(Press release, Nkarta, JUN 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234584043]):

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Raymond James Human Health Innovation Conference
June 21, 2021
3:20 p.m. ET – fireside chat presentation

The live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Investors section of Nkarta’s website, www.nkartatx.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the website for approximately four weeks.

On June 16, 2021 Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: JNCE), a clinical-stage company focused on the discovery and development of novel cancer immunotherapies and predictive biomarkers, reported that it will host a virtual R&D Day at 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 23, 2021(Press release, Jounce Therapeutics, JUN 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234584042]).

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The event will feature presentations and a Q&A session from Jounce management and scientific team members, in addition to key opinion leader and a Jounce scientific founder, Robert Schreiber, PhD, The Washington University School of Medicine.

A webcast of the R&D Day will be available by visiting "Events and Presentations" in the Investors and Media section of Jounce’s website at www.jouncetx.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days following the presentation.

On June 16, 2021 Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., "Astellas") reported that Astellas and Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH ("Cheplapharm") have enterd into an Asset Purchase Agreement, under which Astellas will transfer the Products Rights for five legacy products (the "Products") in certain countries of Europe, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)1 and Asia(Press release, Astellas, JUN 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234584040]).

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Once the transaction closes, Cheplapharm will take over the Products Rights from Astellas and sell them in certain countries of Europe, Russia, CIS and Asia. Astellas will work closely with Cheplapharm to enable a smooth transition.

(1) Purpose of Asset Purchase Agreement
The agreement is a part of Astellas’ ongoing efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of operations so as to accommodate the rapidly changing business environment and achieve sustainable growth. Astellas will continue to strengthen our business presence in Europe, Russia, CIS, and Asia through optimization of resource allocation.

(2) Financial Terms of Asset Purchase Agreement
€95 million

(3) Schedule of Asset Purchase Agreement
June 15, 2021: Signing of the Asset Purchase Agreement
September 2021 or later: Closing of the transaction(tentative)

After closing of the transaction, the Products Rights for the Products will be transferred in each country.

(4) List of the Products

Products Name Indication
FLEMOXIN Acute respiratory infections, Helicobacter pylori associated diseases, such as gastritis and gastric ulcer, urogenital infections and others
DE-NOL Gastro protector with antibacterial effect on H. pylori
SUPRAX Chronic and recurrent respiratory infections with the highest activity towards H. influenzae. Infections caused by susceptible bacteria, such as urinary tract infections and others, e.g. skin, secondary infection in trauma, burn or surgical wound, cholangitis
UNIDOX Infections, such as mild community acquired pneumonia, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, lymphogranuloma venereum, acne vulgaris, chlamydia trachomatis infections, prostatitis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory diseases
ORBENINE Infections caused by gram-positive organisms (except MRSA and MRSE), including infections caused by beta-lactamase producing staphylococci

(5) Sales of the Products
€81.5 million(fiscal year ended March 31, 2021)

Astellas has already reflected the impact from this transaction in its financial forecast of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.