Wyeth-Ayerst, Taxolog to develop anti-tumour agents

03 July 2001 17:16  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (CNI)--Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories (W-A) and privately-held Taxolog said Tuesday they have agreed to collaborate and research novel compounds for use as potential anti-tumour agents that Wyeth will develop, manufacture, and commercialise.

Under the agreement Taxolog will receive an undisclosed up-front signing fee, research support funding and payments upon reaching development milestones as well as royalties on sales.

W-A's parent, American Home Products (AHP), also will make an equity investment in Taxolog.

The company first compound to be jointly developed, TL-139, will enter Phase I clinical trials this month, the companies said.

Said Robert Holton, chief scientific officer at Taxolog: "In preclinical studies TL-139 has shown outstanding activity against a broad range of human carcinomas as demonstrated in in vivo testing."

It is one of a number of unique taxanes that Taxolog has synthesised, characterised and subjected to preclinical screening. In general, the taxane class of compounds is believed to block cell division by the disruption of essential intracellular mechanisms.

The market for taxanes generated over $2bn in sales worldwide last year, the company said.

Said the companies: "In preclinical studies TL-139 has demonstrated significant anti-tumour activity against human tumour cell lines that are sensitive or resistant to currently marketed taxanes."

Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories of Madison, New Jersey is a major research-oriented pharmaceutical firm.

Taxolog of Fairfield, New Jersey was founded in 1997. Its initial research and development focus has been to design drugs to treat tumours that exhibit drug resistance and tumours for which the medical need is particularly high.

By: Mike Sheridan
+1 713 525 2653

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