On February 2, 2026 vTv Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: VTVT), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of cadisegliatin, a novel, potential first-in-class oral adjunctive therapy to insulin being investigated for the treatment of type 1 diabetes ("T1D"), reported that it has expanded its license agreement with Newsoara Biopharma Co. Ltd. ("Newsoara") to provide Newsoara with global rights to the Company’s PDE4 inhibitor, HPP737. Pursuant to the amended license agreement, Newsoara has obtained an exclusive, worldwide license to develop and commercialize Company’s PDE4 inhibitor, HPP737, in exchange for an upfront payment and potential future milestone payments and royalties on net sales.
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"We are pleased to expand our license with Newsoara to allow the further development and commercialization of HPP737 globally. The amendment strengthens our balance sheet with the upfront payment of $20 million and underscores the intrinsic value of our deep pipeline of differentiated therapeutic assets," said Paul Sekhri, Chairman, President and CEO of vTv Therapeutics. "As we continue to advance cadisegliatin in our ongoing Phase 3 CATT1 trial, our wholly owned pipeline provides shareholders with another significant source of potential value creation. We remain opportunistic in exploring potential collaborations for advancing these exciting drug candidates."
In addition to the upfront payment of $20 million, the amended license with Newsoara includes future development milestones of up to approximately $50 million, future sales milestones of up to $65 million, and tiered royalties based on sales.
"Over the last several years, vTv and Newsoara have enjoyed a productive and collaborative relationship, and this exciting expansion of the relationship will help accelerate the clinical development of our highly differentiated and potential best-in-class PDE4 inhibitor, HPP737," said Rich Nelson, Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer of vTv Therapeutics. "Alliance management is a major strategic priority for vTv, and our strong relationship with Newsoara demonstrates this commitment and our mutual desire to advance new and innovative therapies for inflammation-mediated disease."
"We are pleased to expand our collaboration with vTv and secure global rights to HPP737, a highly differentiated oral PDE4 inhibitor with the potential to address unmet needs in inflammation-mediated disease," said Dr. Benny Li, Chief Executive Officer of Newsoara. "With this expanded license, we plan to leverage our development and commercialization capabilities to advance HPP737’s progress and, if approved, bring it to patients worldwide."
HPP737, a selective phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, has shown therapeutic activity in several animal models of inflammation. In phase 1 studies, HPP737 was well tolerated with little or no gastrointestinal distress. Preclinical and clinical data suggest that HPP737 may be able to expand the therapeutic use for this target, which has been limited by the side-effects of currently available PDE4 inhibitors.
About HPP737
HPP737 is a novel, potent, and selective phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibitor in development for the treatment of psoriasis. HPP737 has shown potent inhibition of interleukin-23 (IL-23) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production in vitro and in vivo, as well as therapeutic activity in several animal models of inflammation. In addition, HPP737 showed target engagement ex vivo. PDE4 inhibitors increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) levels, resulting in broad anti-inflammatory effects. However, the therapeutic potential of PDE4 inhibitors has historically been limited by dose-limiting adverse events, including nausea and emesis. Preclinical and clinical data to date suggest HPP737 may avoid some of the gastrointestinal side effects (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) commonly associated with other PDE4 inhibitors.
About Cadisegliatin
Cadisegliatin (TTP399) is a novel, oral small molecule, liver-selective glucokinase activator being investigated in the US as a potential first-in-class oral adjunctive treatment for type 1 diabetes (T1D). In non-clinical studies, cadisegliatin, acting selectively on the liver, increased the activity of glucokinase independently from insulin which supports clinical investigation of improvement in glycemic control through hepatic glucose uptake and glycogen storage. Cadisegliatin has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Cadisegliatin is under investigation, and the safety and efficacy have not been established. There is no guarantee that this product will receive health authority approval or become commercially available for the use being investigated.
(Press release, vTv Therapeutics, FEB 2, 2026, View Source [SID1234662403])