Roche and Actelion tie up autoimmune disorder partnership

Swiss pharmaceutical companies Roche and Actelion have announced a collaboration to develop and commercialise Actelion’s S1P1 receptor agonist.

S1P1 is defined as an immunomodulator that has the potential to treat many autoimmune disorders. The drug is currently undergoing phase I development.

Under the terms of the agreement, Actelion will receive an upfront $75 million (41 million pounds) payment from Roche in the second half of 2006. Actelion could stand to gain payments of up to $555 million if the drug successfully completes development and approval milestones. Additionally, Roche will pay Actelion an undisclosed portion of royalties from sales of the drug.

In return, Actelion will fund development activities in their entirety for the first two indications, until the end of phase II development. After this point, the two companies will share development responsibilities and co-promote products resulting from their partnership, as well as splitting any profits equally.

Roche’s chairman and chief executive officer, Franz B Humer, said he was pleased with the collaboration and added that there are still a number of unmet medical needs in the area of autoimmune disorders.

He remarked: “This collaboration is a further step to strengthen our emerging autoimmune disease franchise.”

Jean-Paul Pozel, Actelion’s chief executive officer, added: “Together, we are well prepared to turn Actelion’s scientific breakthrough in selective S1P1 receptor agonists into a treatment that has the potential to dramatically improve medical care for patients with autoimmune disorders.”

Actelion currently markets two of its own products: Zavesca, for the treatment of type one Gaucher disease, and Tracleer, for pulmonary artery hypertension. Both drugs have been registered for use in the UK.

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