Bristol-Myers expands partnerships with Simcere and NeurOp

US drug major Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) has expanded the strategic partnership formed last year with China’s Simcere Pharmaceutical (NYSE: SCR) to include a second collaboration in a different therapeutic area. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The companies agreed to co-develop BMS-795311, B-MS’ preclinical small molecule inhibitor of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). Inhibiting CETP could potentially raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL good cholesterol) levels and help prevent cardiovascular disease. “This collaboration is expected to accelerate the delivery of clinical Phase IIa proof-of-concept by leveraging the complementary strengths of a premier Chinese pharmaceutical company and a global biopharmaceutical company,” says a joint press statement.

Last year, B-MS entered into an innovative strategic partnership to co-develop BMS-817378, a preclinical small-molecule MET/VEGFR-2 inhibitor, with China’s Simcere, of which financial terms of the deal were also not disclosed (The Pharma Letter November 4, 2010).