Singapore, Nov 27, 2008: Japan-based Sosei Group, a biopharmaceutical company, has out licensed its intellectual property relating to the ‘RS (+) isomer’ of mefloquine to UK’s Treague. Mefloquine is an anti-malarial drug that is approved in its racemic form for both treatment and prophylaxis of malaria.

 

Based on its cytokine modulatory activity, Sosei were developing RS (+) mefloquine as ‘AD 452’ for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. However, despite a safety profile, clinical studies failed to demonstrate sufficient efficacy in this indication and the AD 452 program was terminated in 2006.

 

Treague is collaborating with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a Geneva-based not-for-profit organization, to develop RS (+) mefloquine for the treatment of malaria in malaria endemic countries. In addition, Treague plans to develop RS (+) mefloquine to be used in the prophylaxis of malaria for commercial sale.

 

“By building on the pre-clinical and clinical work conducted by Sosei, we have the opportunity to rapidly develop an efficacious anti-malarial with potentially significant clinical advantages over existing treatment options,” said Dr Robert Tansley, Development & Medical Director, Treague.