Anglo-Japanese collaboration on novel therapeutics in inflammatory disease

UK-based Heptares Therapeutics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan’s Sosei Group (TYO Mothers Index: 4565), and PeptiDream (TYO: 4587) have entered into a strategic collaboration to discover, develop and commercialize novel therapeutics targeting an undisclosed G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) with an important role in inflammatory diseases.

News of the deal sent PeptiDream’s shares up 6.44% to 3,555 yen, while Sosei gained 2.01% to 12,180 yen in afternoon Tokyo trading, having hit a day’s high of 12,250 yen.

The collaboration brings together two industry leading drug discovery platforms and considerable preclinical and clinical development capabilities. Heptares will apply its StaR platform and resulting 3D structural insights to the GPCR target selected by both companies. PeptiDream will use its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS) technology to identify macrocyclic/constrained peptides against the target GPCR and to optimize hit peptides and/or small molecules for further development. Promising leads will be progressed using the partners’ complementary skills, resources and development capabilities in order to bring innovative products into the clinic. Under the agreement, the companies will jointly conduct and share the costs of the discovery and development programme, and will co-own any resulting products. No further financial details are disclosed.