Concert Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline Collaborate For Deuterium-containing Medicines

Published: 02-Jun-2009

Concert to receive $35 million in upfront payments, and will provide GSK with deuterium-modified versions of three GSK pipeline compounds for development.

Concert Pharmaceuticals and GlaxoSmithKline have formed an alliance to develop and commercialize deuterium-containing medicines. The deal includes three of Concert's research and development programs, CTP-518, a protease inhibitor for the treatment of HIV expected to enter Phase I clinical trials in the second half of 2009, a preclinical compound for chronic renal disease, and a third research product in Concert's pipeline.

Concert will also provide GSK with deuterium-modified versions of three GSK pipeline compounds for development.

Under the terms of the agreement, Concert will receive $35 million in upfront payments, including a $16.7 million equity investment by GSK. Concert is eligible to receive milestones and tiered, double-digit royalties based on deuterium-containing products arising from the Concert pipeline programs.

In addition, Concert is eligible to receive milestones as well as royalties on the sales of deuterium-containing products arising from the GSK pipeline compounds. Overall, Concert has the potential to receive in excess of $1 billion in total milestone and upfront payments from GSK spread across all programs.

Patrick Vallance, Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery at GSK, said: “This agreement marks GSK's continued efforts to access the best science and technology platforms worldwide. We believe Concert's approach to deuterium modification of medicines has broad potential to enhance certain drug properties and result in innovative new medicines.”

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