The FINANCIAL — Berlin, August 14, 2018 – Bayer and Haplogen GmbH, a Vienna-based biotechnology company, have entered into a multi-year research collaboration agreement to identify new drug candidates for the treatment of pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD is a common and heterogeneous respiratory disease that causes breathlessness and predisposes to exacerbations and serious illness. Respiratory viral infections are one frequent cause of COPD exacerbations. One possible treatment approach for COPD exacerbations is to disrupt the multiplication of the responsible virus by inhibiting its replication. The goal of the research alliance is to develop new antiviral compounds addressing the high unmet medical need in reducing COPD exacerbations.
The collaboration will build on discoveries and expertise developed at Haplogen in the field of broadly-acting rhinovirus therapeutics, which have been elaborated within and funded by the collaboration between Haplogen and Evotec AG since 2012, according to Bayer.
Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer and Haplogen will jointly evaluate new drug candidates. Bayer will be responsible for any subsequent pre-clinical and clinical development and commercialization. The jointly generated results within the collaboration will be jointly owned. Bayer receives an exclusive worldwide license to the rights in all results, including those results developed within the collaboration between Haplogen and Evotec. Haplogen will receive an upfront payment, research funding and is eligible to receive pre-clinical, clinical and sales milestones as well as tiered royalties. Further financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed.
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