Mundipharma Laboratories and Purdue Pharma enter global partnership with Laboratorios Esteve
To drive innovation in pain management
Swiss drugmaker Mundipharma Laboratories and its independent associated company, Purdue Pharmaceuticals, located in Stamford, Connecticut, US, have entered into a global multi programme discovery and development collaboration with Laboratorios Esteve, a Spanish pharmaceutical group, to bring to market next-generation products for the management of pain.
Under the agreements Mundipharma and Purdue could potentially make payments to Esteve exceeding US$1bn if all development, regulatory and sales milestones are met across the different programmes.
The agreements combine Mundipharma’s and Purdue’s commitment to the development and commercialisation of novel pain treatments with Esteve’s pain focused research and development expertise, particularly in the field of sigma-1 receptor biology.
The collaboration includes E-52862, a chemical entity targeting the sigma-1 receptor pathway, which is currently in Phase II trials covering multiple neuropathic pain indications.
The agreement also includes access to MuMo-1, the lead asset of Esteve's Multi-Modal (MuMo) technology platform, which is currently in preclinical development with the potential to enhance sigma-1 asset properties through the introduction of additional characteristics that are tailored for specific disease states. Mundipharma and Purdue will have primary commercial rights for this asset while Esteve retains rights in certain territories.
Also included is E-58425, a patented API:API co-crystal of tramadol and celecoxib, which leverages the efficacy of both compounds while lowering the component dosages and associated adverse effects. In a Phase II study in acute postoperative pain E-58425 demonstrated superior efficacy and safety over both placebo and a standard of care. The collaboration envisages Esteve commercialising E-58425 in the US and Mundipharma in the rest of the world.
For Mundipharma and Purdue, the partnership will see the companies expand their pain franchise into neuropathic, acute and moderate pain in addition to existing expertise in opioids and severe pain. For Esteve, the agreements validate its consistent investment in innovative R&D as well as its continued emphasis on identifying novel approaches to treat the significant unmet medical needs of people living with pain.
Antony Mattessich, Managing Director, Mundipharma International, said the collaboration was a 'natural fit' and would leverage the companies’ individual strengths.
Albert Esteve, Chief Executive of Esteve, said combining Esteve’s, Mundipharma’s and Purdue’s complementary strengths and capabilities would create opportunities to improve pain treatment options for patients and reaffirm the company's ongoing commitment to pain management.
