BioCryst is constantly seeking to expand and improve its therapeutic development pipeline. It utilizes strategic partnerships early in the drug identification process through in-licensing of drug targets. BioCryst has also established collaborative relationships for the development and commercialization of product candidates to expand its geographic reach beyond the United States.
BioCryst offers potential partners the opportunity to leverage its expertise in structure-based drug design, which incorporates multiple scientific disciplines including biology, crystallography, medicinal chemistry and computer modeling, in order to most efficiently develop new therapeutic candidates.
If you are interested in contacting BioCryst regarding partnering opportunities, please email the Business Development team at businessdevelopment@biocryst.com.
Corporate Partnerships
Mundipharma
In February 2006, BioCryst entered into an exclusive, royalty bearing right and license agreement with Mundipharma for the development and commercialization of forodesine for use in oncology in Europe, Asia, Australia and certain neighboring countries. Under the terms of the agreement, Mundipharma obtained oncology rights to forodesine in the specified territory in exchange for a $10 million up-front payment. The license provides for future event payments for achieving specified development, regulatory and commercial events (including certain sales level amounts following forodesine's launch) for certain indications. In addition, BioCryst will receive royalties based on a percentage of net product sales. BioCryst retains the rights to forodesine in the United States and Mundipharma is obligated by the terms of the agreement to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop the licensed product in the territory specified by the agreement.
Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
In March 2007, BioCryst entered into an exclusive license agreement to develop and commercialize peramivir in Japan and Taiwan for the treatment of seasonal and potentially life-threatening human influenza. Under the terms of the agreement, Shionogi will obtain rights to injectable formulations of peramivir in Japan in exchange for a $14 million up-front payment. BioCryst may also receive future clinical event milestone payments (up to $21 million) and commercial event milestone payments (up to $95 million) in addition to double digit (between 10 and 20% range) royalty payments on product sales of peramivir.
Green Cross Corp.
In June 2006, BioCryst and Green Cross entered into an agreement to develop and commercialize peramivir in South Korea. Under the terms of this agreement, Green Cross will be responsible for all development, regulatory, and commercialization costs in South Korea. BioCryst received a one-time license fee of $250,000. Total future milestone payments would be equally modest. The license also provides that BioCryst will receive royalties on the sale of peramivir in South Korea, including the sale of peramivir to the South Korean government for stockpiling purposes. Furthermore, Green Cross will pay BioCryst a premium over its cost to supply peramivir for development and any future marketing of peramivir products in South Korea.
BioCryst retains all rights to commercialize peramivir in North America, Europe and other countries outside of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.
BioCryst’s peramivir Stockpiling Partnerships
Peramivir Stockpiling Partnerships
Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, excluding Israel
Headquartered in London, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC is a fast growing multinational group focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad range of both branded and non-branded generic and in-licensed products. Hikma's operations are based principally in the MENA region, where it is a market leader. Hikma reported 2008 revenue of $581 million.
Merck Serono for Europe, Russia, Canada and Singapore
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Merck Serono is the division for innovative prescription pharmaceuticals of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company. Merck Serono reported 2008 revenues of approximately € 5 billion.
moksha8 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for Brazil and Mexico
moksha8 was founded in December 2006 by Simba Gill and TPG Biotech, and has raised significant financing from top-tier private equity and venture capital firms, including TPG Biotech. moksha8 is positioned as the partner of choice for both pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies seeking to capture value from their products in high growth emerging markets. moksha8 has established commercial operations in key geographies in Latin America including Sao Paulo and Mexico City. moksha8 provides high quality medicines to some of the fastest growing markets of the world.
Neopharm Group for Israel
The Neopharm Group is a leading provider of innovative integrated solutions across the health care spectrum. Throughout the years the Group has evolved into a diversified health care company. Building leadership and combining strengths in the areas of branded pharmaceuticals and biological products, vaccines (including H1N1 vaccine), hospital products, orphan drugs, medical devices and diagnostics has enabled the Neopharm Group to become the 2nd largest group in the Israeli healthcare market with annual sales of more than U.S. $300 million in 2008.
NT Pharma Co., Ltd. for China
NT Pharma was established in 1995 and has over 1,000 employees, corporate offices in Hong Kong and sales and marketing subsidiaries in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Taizhou and Hainan for the distribution of pharmaceutical products including prescription medicine and vaccines. In 2009, NT Pharma expects to achieve sales revenue of RMB 3 billion (U.S. $440 million), with a nationwide network that covers more than 100 cities, 1,500 hospitals and 12,000 points of vaccination, reaching over 90% of China's urban population.
Academic Partnerships
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
We have had a close relationship with The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) since our formation. Our former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Charles E. Bugg, was the previous Director of the UAB Center for Macromolecular Crystallography, and our Chief Operating Officer, Dr. J. Claude Bennett, was the former President of UAB, the former Chairman of the Department of Medicine at UAB and a former Chairman of the Department of Microbiology at UAB. Several of our early programs originated at UAB.
Currently, BioCryst has agreements with UAB for influenza neuraminidase and complement inhibitors. Under the terms of these agreements, UAB performed specific research for us in return for research payments and license fees. UAB has granted us certain rights to any discoveries in these areas resulting from research developed by UAB or jointly developed with us. We have agreed to pay single digit royalties on sales of any resulting product and to share in future payments received from other third-party partners. We have completed the research under both the complement and influenza agreements.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Industrial Research, Ltd., New Zealand
In June 2000, we licensed a series of potent inhibitors of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Industrial Research, Ltd., New Zealand. The lead drug candidates from this collaboration are forodesine and BCX4208. We have obtained worldwide exclusive rights to develop and ultimately distribute these compounds or any other drug candidates that might arise from research on these inhibitors. We have agreed to pay certain milestone payments for future development of these inhibitors, certain royalties on sales of any resulting product and to share in future payments received from other third-party partners, if any.