Clinical stage biotechnology company Neurizon Therapeutics (ASX:NUZ) has executed an exclusive global license agreement with Elanco Animal Health.
Neurizon said the agreement grants worldwide rights to use Elanco’s intellectual property, providing exclusive access to an extensive package of non-clinical studies and manufacturing data for Monepantel.
Monepantel is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in NUZ-001. NUZ-001, Neurizon’s lead investigational therapy, is in development for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases in humans.
Neurizon said the agreement represents a critical inflection point, further strengthening its strategic outlook for the development, manufacturing and potential future commercialisation of NUZ-001. It stated that it also significantly supports its regulatory plans, providing ongoing access to critical animal safety data and manufacturing data.
The companies are now finalising a supply agreement, with a follow-up announcement anticipated later this calendar year.
Neurizon CEO and Managing Director, Dr Michael Thurn, said, “This license agreement with Elanco marks a watershed moment in Neurizon’s journey to become a leader in the accelerated development of treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. This strategic milestone provides exclusive access to a comprehensive package of non-clinical studies and manufacturing data, dramatically reducing near-term development costs and accelerating development timelines. All of this is in exchange for a nominal up-front payment, small back-ended regulatory approval and commercial sale milestones and single-digit royalty payments on future global net sales. Neurizon is now well-positioned to accelerate the path to market and advance new treatment options for people affected by devastating neurodegenerative diseases.”
Neurizon Chairman Sergio Duchini added, “On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to endorse this landmark agreement with Elanco, which represents a strategically significant step forward for Neurizon. This agreement not only strengthens our clinical and regulatory position but also reflects our strong commitment to accelerating the development of meaningful therapies for people living with neurodegenerative diseases. We are also very happy to be making this important step in formalising our relationship with Elanco and look forward to building on this foundation as we progress towards finalising a supply agreement later this year.”