Sun Pharma in pact to develop brain stroke drug

Sun Pharma, Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science and Spain's Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela have signed an agreement to develop drugs used in the treatment of neurological diseases like brain stroke and glioblastoma, a lethal brain cancer.

Scientists at Weizmann Institute had developed a recombinant enzyme, which is currently in the animal studies stage, for indications of brain stroke and glioblastoma.

The enzyme would be further studied at the Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS) in Spain.

Also, the enzyme might find use in other neurological disorders.

According to the Mumbai-based company's statement, as per the signed tripartite agreement, Sun Pharma will have the first right to develop these additional indications.

Additionally, Sun Pharma would have the exclusive option to conduct further development of the enzyme after completion of the pre-clinical studies, it added.

The company, which would have commercial rights to the product globally, would also fund all future studies to be conducted on the enzyme, it added.

The tripartite research collaboration agreement had been signed between Sun Pharma, Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd (the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science), and Fundacion Ramón Domínguez (on behalf of IDIS). On the basis of the outcome of animal studies, Sun Pharma would have the option to exercise rights for further development and commercialisation of the enzyme.

"We see our collaboration with world-renowned academic institutions like the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela enabling new projects on breakthrough products to address current unmet medical needs," Sun Pharma senior vice president Kirti Ganorkar said.

IDIS believed the collaboration would contribute to development of strong bonds for delivering important benefits in biomedical research and patients. Professor José Castillo, director of IDIS, said, IDIS supported translational research so that new findings could be used in clinical practice. The agreement with Sun Pharma and WIS represented an important milestone for the Institution, since the studies carried out by the researchers of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Laboratory and Stroke Unit of the Neurology Department of its University Hospital were now closer to patients.