Kyowa Hakko signs agreement with Eli Lilly

Japanese pharmaceutical company Kyowa Hakko has signed a licensing agreement with Eli Lilly.

The agreement is for the anti-tumour compound mitotic kinesin Eg5 inhibitor and will see Lilly taking the rights to exclusively develop and market the compound worldwide, except in Japan.

Lilly will take over the development of mitotic kinesin Eg5 inhibitor and intends to commence trials in Europe and the US. The companies hope to introduce the agent to the market as soon as possible.

Under the agreement Kyowa Hakko will receive an upfront payment, milestone payments and royalties on sales, none of which have been disclosed by the companies.

The compound works by stopping the cell division cycle of cancer cells at the mitotic phase and induces apoptosis, without, it is hoped, causing serious side effects such as nerve disorders.

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