Solvay and Wyeth collaborate on anti-psychotics

Solvay Pharmaceuticals and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals have announced that they are to expand their neuroscience development and commercialisation partnership. The companies have signed an agreement to include neuroscience research in their collaboration.

According to the expanded agreement, the companies will cooperate in a bid to identify small molecules with potential use in anti-psychotic pharmaceuticals. Drugs discovered through this agreement will be co-owned and patented by both companies, with development and commercial rights potentially available to both companies.

Solvay and Wyeth first signed their neuroscience agreement in April 2004 and have developed schizophrenia medication bifeprunox. The companies also have two early-phase products SLV212 and SLV314, currently in development.

Professor Les Turski, global vice president of research at Solvay Pharmaceuticals, said: “Combining Solvay’s experience with that of Wyeth could enable the discovery of novel candidate molecules in an expanded chemical space now based on joint knowledge.”

He added that this agreement could lead to a number of drug candidates with a number of clinically beneficial uses.

Professor Turski noted that the neuroscience is an important sector for both companies and he expected the collaboration agreement to result in “good things”.

In June 2004, Solvay reported that bifeprunox had seen peak year sales of over $1 billion (0.52 million pounds).