Medical research charity MRC Technology and Yabao Pharma, a leading pharma company in China, will partner to research and develop drugs for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
The exclusive licence agreement will aim to discover, develop and commercialise innovative compounds targeting a specific kinase involved in neurodegeneration in order to find a treatment for the disease of the central nervous system.
Dr Peng Weng, president of research and development at Yabao Pharma, said: “This opportunity for us to expand on leading research to develop innovative products is further evidence of Yabao’s growing commitment to partner with the best science to treat serious diseases in China.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Yabao will receive exclusive rights to discover, develop and commercialise the therapeutics in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, while MRC Technology retains rights in all other markets.
Michael Dalrymple, director of business development at MRC Technology, commented: “Parkinson’s is a debilitating and destructive disease. We are pleased to combine our expertise in early drug discovery and innovation with the significant resources that Yabao Pharma can bring to developing ground breaking new medicines.
“Together we hope to achieve more to bring innovative treatments to patients and improve their quality of life.”
Parkinson’s remains a key area of unmet need for pharma companies and Pfizer acquired the option to license a potential treatment for the disease from Medgenesis Therapeutix in September.