{"id":30167,"date":"2017-01-06T14:40:16","date_gmt":"2017-01-06T19:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sciencebusiness.technewslit.com\/?p=30167"},"modified":"2017-01-06T14:40:16","modified_gmt":"2017-01-06T19:40:16","slug":"ionis-options-cardiac-drugs-in-1-5-billion-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technewslit.com\/sciencebusiness\/?p=30167","title":{"rendered":"Ionis Options Cardiac Drugs in $1.5 Billion Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Heart<\/a>
(Gerd Altmann, Pixabay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6 January 2016. Biotechnology company Ionis Pharmaceuticals<\/a> is providing drug maker Novartis first access to two experimental drugs for controlling proteins that promote cholesterol and triglycerides, which contribute to heart disease. The option agreement with Novartis<\/a> could bring Ionis as much as $1.5 billion if Novartis agrees to license and fully commercialize both drugs.<\/p>\n

The drugs being optioned are code-named APO(a)-LRx<\/sub> and APOCIII-LRx<\/sub><\/a>. APO(a)-LRx<\/sub> reduces a protein known as lipoprotein-a<\/a> that connects to LDL cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol —\u00a0 which collects in blood vessels, and is considered a risk factor for coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and stroke. About 1 in 5 people inherit a condition where they produce high quantities of lipoprotein-a, who often cannot control these elevated levels with diet and exercise.<\/p>\n

APOCIII-LRx<\/sub> is designed to reduce levels of apolipoprotein CIII<\/a>, or ApoC-III, a protein produced in the liver that contributes to triglycerides<\/a>, a fatty substance similar to cholesterol that can also build up in blood vessels and contribute to heart disease. People that produce ApoC-III not only have a higher risk of heart disease, they also often have metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, as well as a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n

APO(a)-LRx<\/sub> and APOCIII-LRx<\/sub> are the lead products of Akcea Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Ionis that specializes in lipid disorders. In an early- and intermediate-stage clinical trials<\/a>, APO(a)-LRx<\/sub> was shown to reduce lipoprotein-a in people with elevated levels of the protein an average of 79 percent with a small dose and 92 percent with multiple doses. APOCIII-LRx<\/sub> is currently being tested with healthy volunteers in an early- and intermediate-stage trial.<\/p>\n

Both drugs are produced with Ionis’s technology platform<\/a> known as antisense, which uses short DNA or RNA sequences, called oligonucleotides, designed to complement a specific gene sequence. Ionis says it designs antisense drugs to interact precisely with a specific sequence of RNA, with many of the therapies in its pipeline binding to messenger RNAs, or mRNAs, and blocking the production of disease-causing proteins.<\/p>\n

The agreement gives Novartis an option to later license both drugs from Ionis. Under the deal, Novartis is paying Ionis a $225 million option fee and taking a $100 million equity stake in the company. Novartis and Ionis will collaborate on intermediate-stage clinical trials to determine dosages of each drug for subsequent late-stage trials. Following the intermediate-stage studies, Novartis will decide whether to exercise its option to license the drugs.<\/p>\n

Should Novartis decide to exercise its option, Ionis, in Carlsbad, California will receive a licensing fee of $150 million for each drug. Ionis will also be eligible for $600 million in development and commercialization milestone payments for APO(a)-LRx<\/sub> and $530 million in milestone payments for APOCIII-LRx<\/sub>. Novartis also agrees to make another $50 million equity investment in either Ionis or Akcea in the next 18 months.<\/p>\n

The agreement gives Ionis the option to co-market either drug to lipid disease specialists through Akcea’s sales force. In addition, Ionis will be eligible for royalties on sales of each drug.<\/p>\n

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