Vectura, a respiratory product development company, has entered a license agreement with Janssen Biotech to exclusively develop anti-inflammatory therapies for the treatment of asthma/COPD. The collaboration will initially focus on the development of a Phase II candidate and could potentially include additional clinical-stage candidates.
Vectura is leveraging its expertise and dry powder inhaler technologies in the development of inhaled therapeutics. The company said it will apply its delivery technologies to advance Janssen’s pulmonary products into late-stage clinical development and commercialization. Janssen plans to lead the clinical development programs, while Vectura is taking responsibility for pharmaceutical development and preparation for Phase II clinical trials.
The deal includes upfront and development milestones as well as tiered royalty on net sales, but amounts were not disclosed.
“Vectura’s role in this agreement is to apply its expertise in the development of products for airway-related diseases and to utilize its technology/device platform offerings, some of which have regulatory and commercial validation,” said Chris Blackwell, Ph.D., chief executive.
In June 2014, Vectura signed a development and license agreement for VR506, its clinical stage asthma monotherapy with an existing, undisclosed U.S. partner. As part of the deal, Vectura's partner assumed responsibility for the commercialization and manufacture of the product together with clinical development. Vectura received an initial payment of $4 million and could get up to $8 million upon achievement of development milestones. In addition, Vectura will receive a royalty from all VR506 U.S. sales.
