Takeda forms biopharmaceutical company with Frazier Healthcare Partners

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company has announced the formation of Outpost Medicine with Frazier Healthcare Partners.

The new organisation will be focused on developing new treatments for urologic and gynaecologic diseases and disorders.

Outpost Medicine has been granted an exclusive licence for the worldwide development and commercialisation rights to OP-233, a clinical-stage product candidate being studied for stress urinary incontinence treatment.

Andrew Plump, chief medical and scientific officer at Takeda, said that with the company strengthening its focus around oncology, gastroenterology and central nervous system diseases, it is important to seek alternatives to "further develop and create value around promising assets that lay outside these areas of focus".

"The formation of Outpost represents an innovative partnership arrangement to further advance one such asset in hopes of bringing a new treatment to patients in need," he commented.

Tachi Yamada, chairman and co-founder of Outpost and venture partner with Frazier Healthcare Partners, added that OP-233 is an "exceptional asset" around which to form Outpost Medicine.

"We believe Outpost has the essential elements to create a leading company developing therapeutics in urology and gynaecology," he said.