Novo Holdings portfolio company F2G Ltd. has entered into a collaboration with Shionogi & Co., Ltd. to develop and commercialise its antifungal agent, olorofim, for invasive fungal infections, in Europe and Asia.
F2G is a biotech company focused on discovery and development of therapies to treat life-threatening invasive fungal infections. Olorofim is an oral antifungal therapy developed by F2G to treat invasive aspergillosis (IA) and other rare mold infections. The therapy works by exerting fungicidal activity through inhibition of the pyrimidine synthesis pathway, and has been awarded a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for multiple indications by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
Olorofim is currently in a Phase IIb open-label study and Phase III randomised study.
Naveed Siddiqi, Board Director of F2G and Senior Partner, Novo Holdings, said: “Globally there is a high unmet medical need for novel antifungal therapies that are active against resistant and refractory infections and also against pathogenic fungal species which have been difficult to successfully treat historically. F2G is developing a completely new class of antifungal agents called the orotomides. The strategic collaboration with Shionogi is an exciting development for the company as it offers the prospect of olorofim, once approved, to reach even more patients around the world. This is Novo Ventures’ second anti-infective investment in 2022 that has attracted interest from partners in the pharmaceutical industry.”
Francesco Maria Lavino, CEO of F2G, said: “This collaboration will enable us to progress the development of olorofim with a regional partner. Shionogi has a proven track record in both global drug development and business development and we look forward to working closely together while we now concentrate our efforts on the development and commercialisation of olorofim for the US market.”
