IRLAB soars as it out-licenses Parkinson's candidate mesdopetam to Ipsen

French drugmaker Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) has signed a licensing agreement with IRLAB (Nasdaq Stockholm; IRLAB A), providing Ipsen exclusive worldwide development and commercial rights to mesdopetam, a novel dopamine D3-receptor antagonist, with the news sending the Swedish firm’s shares rocketing 42.5% to 69.60 kronor by late afternoon today.

Mesdopetam is being assessed in Phase IIb clinical trials as a potential treatment option for people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experiencing levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). It is estimated that approximately 40%-50% of people living with PD will experience LID after five years of initiating dopamine replacement therapy. LID currently has limited treatment options

Mesdopetam is also in early development for Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP), which is a common symptom of PD; around 50% of people with PD eventually develop such symptoms over the course of their disease.