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Japan-based Shionogi & Co. has entered into an agreement with US-based Apnimed, Inc. for the introduction of sulthiame and a new drug development programme.
Sulthiame is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor approved as an antiepileptic drug in certain regions. Sulthiame has successfully completed two Phase 2 trials in over 300 obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients studied for up to 3 months in Europe.
With the conclusion of this agreement, Shionogi acquired a joint ownership interest in the intellectual property rights related to the use of sulthiame in the field of sleep apnea and also in other intellectual property rights related to a different drug development programme of Apnimed by paying a one-time fee to Apnimed.
Furthermore, Shionogi and Apnimed have already equally contributed this intellectual property to Shionogi-Apnimed Sleep Science (SASS), which will now conduct thefuture research and development of sulthiame and the other drug development programme. Shionogi retains exclusive negotiation rights for the development and sales rights in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China.
John Keller, Ph.D., Senior Executive Officer, Senior Vice President, R&D Supervisory Unit at Shionogi said, “Our joint venture, combining the scientific and medical resources of Apnimed and Shionogi, represents the most robust global effort to bring new pharmacologic treatments for people with sleep apnea and related disorders.”
Larry Miller, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Apnimed said, “The 80 million people with OSA in the US, and hundreds of millions more around the globe, need more convenient options that directly treat the root causes of OSA.”
