Pluristem, United Therapeutics end licensing agreement to develop PAH treatment

Israeli cell therapy specialist Pluristem Therapeutics Inc (Nasdaq: PSTI) said it has received a notice from United Therapeutics Corp (Nasdaq: UTHR) ending its licensing agreement to develop PLX-PAD to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

According to the licensing agreement Pluristem will regain full rights to PLX-PAD in this indication, as well as all clinical data and regulatory submissions, allowing the company to move forward with the clinical development of the program and seek other licensing partners.

Pluristem chief executive, Zami Aberman, said: “We thank United for the work they have completed on this project and believe PLX-PAD can make a significant contribution to the health of patients suffering from PAH. The data generated by United provides a good foundation to suggest that our cells can be safely administered intravenously, with potential broad application, and can improve the quality of life for PAH patients. We have previously announced results from several studies that demonstrate the safety of intramuscular administration, and with the new intravenous data we can now expand the potential indications for which PLX cells can be used.”