Upsher-Smith signs agreement to sublicense tonabersat from Proximagen to expand its CNS portfolio

USA-based Upsher-Smith Laboratories has signed an agreement with the UK's Proximagen Neuroscience to obtain exclusive rights in North America (the USA, Canada and Mexico) for the investigational drug tonabersat, a first-in-class neuronal gap junction modulator. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Tonabersat, recently acquired by Proximagen through its $6.9 million acquisition of fellow UK-based Minster Pharmaceuticals (The Pharma Letter January 12), has been tested in a variety of neurological conditions, including migraine and epilepsy. Upsher-Smith will be responsible for development, regulatory filing and commercialization activities for tonabersat in North America. Based on results of preclinical models of seizures, Upsher-Smith will focus on the development of tonabersat for the treatment of epilepsy.

"This agreement supports our strategic vision of building a leadership position in the central nervous system field," said Mark Evenstad, president of Upsher-Smith. "We are excited about our growing CNS development portfolio that we hope will provide benefit to patients suffering from neurologic conditions." Upsher-Smith focuses on the development of pharmaceuticals in epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, CNS disorders with significant unmet medical needs.