Debiopharm signs agreement with Kirin for Debio-0719

Switzerland-based biopharmaceutical development company Debiopharm, who specializes in oncology and serious medical conditions, has announced an exclusive r&d and commercialisation agreement with Japan's Kirin Brewery Company for Debio-0719, a highly potent inhibitor of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling, in early preclinical development for the treatment of local as well as metastatic cancer.

Under the terms of the agreement, Debiopharm will fully manage and fund the development of Debio-0719, before out-licensing to sales and marketing partners in all territories outside of Asia, where Kirin will maintain development and commercialisation rights. Kirin will receive milestone payments, as well as royalties based on Debiopharm's revenues from worldwide sales.

Debio-0719, formerly named Ki16425/Ki16198, was discovered by Kirin in a screen for small molecule inhibitors of LPA receptors. LPA plays multiple key roles in human cancer, including cancer cell growth, survival, invasion and metastasis. The inappropriate production of LPA in most cancers and its role in controlling multiple signal transduction pathways involved in tumour growth and metastasis make it a highly compelling therapeutic target for cancer, Debiopharm says.