Lexicon Licenses Telotristat Etiprate For Carcinoid Syndrome To Ipsen
By Cyndi Root
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals has licensed telotristat etiprate to Ipsen for exclusive global marketing outside of the United States, Canada, and Japan. Lexicon announced the license in a press release, stating that the orally-delivered small molecule is primarily for the treatment of carcinoid syndrome. Lexicon will continue Phase 3 studies on the novel agent and pursue regulatory approvals in North America and Japan, while Ipsen will seek regulatory approval globally.
Lonnel Coats, President and CEO of Lexicon, said, “Ipsen is a leader in the treatment of carcinoid syndrome and neuroendocrine tumors with Somatuline (lanreotide). Lexicon will benefit commercially from Ipsen’s substantial market presence in Europe and other countries in the licensed territory, and will benefit globally from coordination with Ipsen on medical and scientific matters.”
Lexicon and Ipsen Agreement
Marc de Garidel, Chairman and CEO of Ipsen, stated that the license enlarges his company’s footprint and strengthens its oncology, endocrinology, and neurology product line. Under the financial terms of the agreement, Ipsen is to make a $23 million upfront payment to Lexicon and confer additional milestones payments up to $122 million, contingent on clinical, regulatory, and commercial success. Ipsen will also pay royalties on sales.
Telotristat Etiprate
In carcinoid syndrome, neuroendocrine tumors produce large amounts of serotonin that causes severe diarrhea, gastrointestinal pain and discomfort, and heart valve damage.Telotristat etiprate is an oral, small-molecule tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) inhibitor. It reduces peripheral serotonin production without affecting brain serotonin levels. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given telotristat etiprate Fast Track and Orphan Drug status and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has designated the agent an Orphan Drug.
Lexicon is continuing a Phase 3 clinical program for telotristat etiprate in carcinoid syndrome and expects data in 2015. The trial is comparing telotristat etiprate to placebo on a background of the current standard of care, somatostatin analog (SSA) therapy. Patients are being studied in 70 sites worldwide.
About Lexicon
Lexicon is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas where it discovers and validates drug targets and tests drug candidates in preclinical research. At its campus in Princeton, NJ, Lexicon focuses on small molecule development. The company focuses on diabetes, carcinoid syndrome, and other indications.