Italy's Angelini invests up to $506 mln in Japan's JCR for epilepsy drug

JCR Pharmaceuticals

11/05/2023 11:51

ROME, May 11 (Reuters) - Family-owned Italian
pharmaceutical group Angelini is set to invest up to $505.5
million to fund development of a new treatment for epilepsy by
Japan's JCR Pharmaceuticals  4552.T , capable of penetrating the
blood-brain barrier.
    JCR owns a blood-brain barrier technology, dubbed J-Brain
Cargo, which allows biotherapeutics to reach the central nervous
system via a mechanism called receptor-mediated transcytosis.
    Following the pre-clinical development phase, Angelini
Pharma will have an exclusive license for the clinical
development of therapeutic candidates and their
commercialisation outside of Japan.
    In return, JCR will receive an upfront sum and will be
eligible for additional payments up to the agreed total
depending on development and commercial milestones. It will also
be entitled to tiered royalties and retain the right to
commercialize the drug in Japan.
    Epilepsy affects more than 50 million people worldwide, the
two companies said citing World Health Organisation data.
    Under CEO Sergio Marullo di Condojanni, the Angelini group
has been betting on mental health drugs with a focus on
epilepsy. 
    In 2021 Angelini Pharma struck an up $960 million all-cash
deal to acquire Swiss firm Arvelle Therapeutics and
commercialise in Europe cenobamate, a molecule to treat
drug-resistant focal-onset seizures in adults.     

 (Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Valentina Za)
 ((alvise.armellini@thomsonreuters.com;))