PeptiDream and Ipsen expand their peptide drug collaboration to treat endocrinologic disease

Japanese biopharma company PeptiDream (TYO: 4587) and French drugmaker Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) have expanded the scope of their April 2013 research collaboration and license option agreement to launch therapeutic peptides to treat serious medical conditions in areas of therapeutic focus for Ipsen.

The existing collaboration, which combines PeptiDream’s proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS) with Ipsen’s expertise in peptide drug discovery and pharmaceutical R&D, will be extended in scope to enable further therapeutic peptide candidates to enter R&D for additional serious endocrinologic disease.

Detailed financial terms of the expanded agreement are not disclosed but are based on those of the existing collaboration. In exchange for worldwide rights to each therapeutic peptide resulting from the collaboration, Ipsen will pay all R&D and commercialization costs. PeptiDream will receive royalties on worldwide sales; or have the right to opt-in at predefined stages to support Japan development costs of each new candidate for royalty free commercial rights in that territory. In the latter circumstance, PeptiDream would also forego royalty income for ex-Japan sales.