Janssen and Medivir ally on dengue virus research

Janssen Pharmaceutica is to collaborate with research-based specialty drug developer Medivir on a new research and development partnership focused on dengue virus.

The two companies are to leverage their expertise in the field of protease inhibitors to create new drugs for the prophylaxis and treatment of dengue viral infection, which will function by interfering with dengue NS3 protease activity.

Equal resources will be committed by both firms to the research phase of any treatments developed under the programme, while Janssen holds the rights to commercialise the products.

It is hoped that this new approach will yield results in combating a disease that kills around 30,000 people a year in subtropical regions.

Ron Long, chief executive officer and president of Medivir, said the company "has strong experience in the discovery of protease inhibitors for the treatment of infectious diseases".

He added: "We are delighted to be collaborating with Janssen in this important disease area."

Last month, Janssen received approval from the European Commission for its drug Invega to be sold as Europe's first and only antipsychotic treatment for schizoaffective disorder.